Rickenbacker International Airport is to start exporting directly through New York (US) on to Hong Kong (China) and Luxembourg from September. 

Cathay Pacific and Cargolux offer thrice weekly services from Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) with US bound imports. The new Rickenbacker services will allow shippers to load exports onto aircraft that have arrived from John F. Kennedy Airport and are bound to HKIA with Cathay Pacific, with a similar service to be offered for Luxembourg Airport using Cargolux. Consolidated Aviation Services (CAS) will offer import and export warehouse services. 

President and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which operates Rickenbacker, Elaine Roberts says: “This new export loading capability allows shippers and their logistics service providers the ability to load cargo directly in Columbus offering connections to Asia and Europe that have never been served directly out of this market.”

The chief executive officer of Columbus 2020, the regions economic development organisation, Kenny McDonald says: “Forwarders no longer have to truck to distant gateways. We encourage all regional shippers and freight forwarders to support these new services.” 

Amerijet International started flights from Rickenbacker on 8 July, linking it to its Reno hub for coast-to-coast services. 

At the time the carrier’s senior vice president of business development, Pam Rollins says: “Rickenbacker is well-equipped and perfectly positioned to meet Amerijet’s needs as a key hub for this service and we look forward to building a strong, successful partnership with them.” Vice president for sales for CAS, Guido DiGiandomenico, says: “We are delighted to be opening operations in Columbus and see outstanding potential for this market to grow quickly. We want to part of that growth.”