After launching passenger flights between Phnom Penh and Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, in early October, Etihad Airways has announced that it will soon begin operating cargo flights to Cambodia.
According to the company, Etihad Cargo— the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, is expanding its Southeast Asia network with the launch of a new freighter deployment from Techo International Airport (KTI) in Phnom Penh, in partnership with logistics specialists Teleport. Commencing in winter this year, the service will operate two weekly flights utilising Airbus A321F aircraft, adding an additional 50 tonnes of cargo capacity per week.
“The agreement to launch the new Phnom Penh freighter deployment was signed today at Air Cargo Southeast Asia, marking another collaboration milestone in the strategic partnership between Etihad Cargo and Teleport, which currently operates a successful joint freighter deployment from Ho Chi Minh City (SGN),” said Etihad Cargo, in a November 3 statement.
“The launch of dedicated freighter deployments from Phnom Penh further strengthens Etihad Cargo’s presence in Southeast Asia and demonstrates our commitment to supporting the region’s dynamic trade flows. In partnership with Teleport, this new route provides much-needed additional capacity, connecting Cambodia’s exporters to key global markets and enhancing connectivity across our expanding network,” explained Stanislas Brun, chief cargo officer at Etihad Airways.
Jan Philipp Pöter, chief commercial officer of Teleport, noted that the long-standing partnership between the two companies has grown significantly since their collaboration began in 2022—starting with a joint freighter route between Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur in 2024, and expanding services to Phuket in 2025.
“Today, we are expanding these freighter programmes further across Southeast Asia, a testament to the combined agility of our partnership, enabling us to launch new routes faster and effectively respond to market needs. This progression demonstrates Teleport’s commitment to going beyond traditional partnerships, ensuring our partners never fly empty while creating mutual growth across both networks,” he said.
The introduction of the Phnom Penh freighter deployment sees Etihad Cargo expand its dedicated freighter network while also optimising bellyhold capacity across its passenger fleet, explained the statement.
“By enhancing connectivity and offering flexible, reliable solutions, Etihad Cargo continues to support customers in accessing global markets with confidence and efficiency,” it added.
According to the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), 33 domestic and international airlines operate in the Cambodian aviation sector, including eight ASEAN countries, as well as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Qatar and the UAE.
Cambodia’s aviation industry has shown remarkable growth: in the first nine months of 2025, the country’s three international airports—Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Preah Sihanouk—handled over 5.1 million passengers, a 14% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Since its opening on September 9, 2025, the Techo International Airport—built at a cost of over $2 billion—has shown significant progress. The airport is being developed in three phases: Phase 1 can handle 13 million passengers per year, Phase 2 up to 30 million and Phase 3 up to 50 million annually.
