China Southern has kicked off two new twice weekly freighter routes serving the US and Europe. On 1 March the carrier began B777 freighter service, routing Guangzhou-Qingdao-Los Angeles, followed one day later by the European service routing Guangzhou-
Chongqing-Amsterdam.
China Southern said the Guangzhou- Los Angeles service is the first freighter service beginning from Guangzhou destined for the US. The 16 hour, 50 minute flight time offers a nearly 15 hour shorter service than if the cargo is transhipped via Seoul or Taipei. The cargo capacity from Guangzhou to the US is over 1,000 tonnes, a 170 per cent improvement on the previous figure.
“Through this new service, China Southern Cargo is able to connect cargo network on Australia and Southeast Asia, transferring international goods to Los Angeles via Guangzhou transfer station, afterwards to Latin America and other cities in the United States via SPA and truck service,” the carrier said.
Currently China Southern has an SPA with American Airlines, Aero Mexico, Lan Cargo and Mas Air, among others, to broaden its cargo network in Latin America. The carrier added that is has the ability to ship goods to almost 80 cities in the US with the help of truck service network.
Taking advantage of this route China Southern Cargo decided to add the second domestic commercial stop at Qingdao. The city has rapidly become a high-tech manufacturing hub with a number of major electronics manufacturers like Haier, Hisense, Foxconn, Samsung and LG setting up manufacturing facilities there. Local domestic exports are growing rapidly with goods to Europe
and North America comprising nearly 70 per cent of the total.
China Southern’s freigher service Guangzhou-Chongqing-Amsterdam, which actually is adding a commercial spot Chongqing basing on the original service Guangzhou-Amsterdam. In this case, freighter service from Guangzhou to Amsterdam is increased to five flights per week while Tuesday and Friday has
a stopover in Chongqing.
China Southern Cargo said that its regular international freighter service in Chongqing has increased to four flights per week, in addition to the Chongqing- Shanghai-Amsterdam service.
This year, China Southern Cargo declared its goal to forge Shanghai into “crucial hub” and Guangzhou into “complex hub” in terms of running freighters. With these two newly launched services, China Southern Cargo raises the cargo capacity share of Guangzhou.
“The intensive connection of domestic and international passenger flight network and the radiation of Pearl River Delta region truck network, has enabled China Southern to effectively combine freighter and passenger aircraft and ground truck transport network in Guangzou,” the carrier said.
