Etihad Airways recently announced it would double the size of its Airbus A330-200 Freighter fleet. The carrier said it had ordered two more A330-200Fs in a deal worth $423 million at current list prices. "We are strongly committed to building our presence in the cargo sector with the platform of Abu Dhabi as our hub to connect global trade lanes," Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer James Hogan said. "The A330-200F has been a key part of our recent success in the market. We are very pleased with its high reliability and versatility, and that's why we are keen to expand this fleet type," he added. Etihad Airways was a launch customer and the launch operator of the A330-200F, having taken delivery of its first aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2010. The A330-200F, which has just celebrated a successful first year of operation, can carry up to 70 tonnes of payload and offers a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles. Etihad Airways operates its A330-200Fs on routes to Addis Ababa, Almaty, Beijing, Erbil, Frankfurt-Hahn, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Milan and Nairobi. "This repeat order by Etihad Airways underlines the key role the A330-200F is playing alongside larger freighters. The A330-200F enables Etihad Airways to optimise its network by addressing markets which do not make business sense with large freighters," said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer,Customers. "In a challenging economic environment, with high fuel prices and yields under pressure, the A330-200F helps match capacity neatly with demand which, allows for efficient cargo operations." From its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad serves 82 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, with a fleet of 65 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and 100 aircraft on order, including 10 Airbus A380s.(mar)