Qatar Airways Cargo has unveiled its ‘QR Live’ product, for the safe and comfortable transportation of horses, pets, exotic animals and livestock.
The world’s third biggest air cargo carrier, which has a double decker stand at Air Cargo China, booth number 207, launched the new product at the event yesterday in Shanghai.
Qatar says QR Live keeps transit times to a minimum, and animals travelling via Doha will be cared for at their Doha hub at Hamad International Airport with its live animal facility and handling staff.
The 4,200 square metre air conditioned facility in Doha includes dedicated holding areas, eight stalls for horses, kennels, dedicated staff on hand 24/7, a 300 square metre walking yard, rubber pavers, two hydraulic loading/unloading docks and two hydraulic workstations.
Qatar Airways says it can cater for exotic animals including bears, kangaroos, falcons, tigers, elephants and pandas. It can also cater for livestock including sheep and goats on scheduled and charter flights in temperature controlled compartments.
Equines can be transported onboard the airline’s fleet of Boeing 747, 777 and Airbus A330 Freighters, with controlled temperature zones, horse stalls and seats for grooms to more than 150 destinations worldwide.
The QR Live product adds to its dedicated services, which already included QR Equine, for transporting horses. QR Equine has been used to great affect in the past, including transporting 118 dressage and show horses from Liege to Doha on three chartered 777s for the CHI Al Shaqab, which took place in Doha between 2 and 5 March.
The Qatari national carrier is International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations and Qatar Airways Transportation of Wildlife and Animal Welfare Group Policy compliant for transporting horses, household pets, livestock and exotic animals.
In March this year, Qatar Airways signed the United for Wildlife Transport Industry Declaration at Buckingham Palace in London, which is an IATA supported initiative designed to increase awareness about the scale and consequences of the illegal wildlife trade.
United for Wildlife focuses on the illegal trade of African elephants, rhinos, big cats and pangolins from East Africa.
