AF-KLM inks cargo partnership with China Southern

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Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo and China Southern Cargo have signed an expansive cargo domain agreement aimed giving each other access to their respective complementary networks. The pair said the new partnership will give their customers access to an extensive cargo network in the Asia Pacific region — where China Southern Cargo occupies a strategic position — and in Europe, Africa and the Trans-Atlantic regions, where the AF-KLM Cargo group is one of the largest operators.

The agreement offers a combination of widebody and maindeck capacity on the Europe-China leg and access to an extensive network of unique destinations from their respective hubs. AF-KLM-Martinair Cargo will serve the main cities in Australia and supply main-deck capacity to Hanoi, or Ho Chi Minh from the hub at Guangzhou.

Paris-Charles de Gaulle, or Amsterdam Schiphol will provide China Southern Cargo with access to capacity to the North and South Atlantic markets — Atlanta, Miami, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires to name but a few — as well as capacity to Africa, with both European hubs serving Lagos.

(l-r centre) Zhao Fengsheng, SVP China Southern Cargo and Bram Gräber, EVP AF-KLM-Martinair Cargo signed the new partnership agreement at a ceremony in Guangzhou on 15 September 2015.

In the first stage of the agreement the two carriers will share ground handling facilities at their hubs to enable a faster and seamless transfer process.

The agreement also covers mutual access to the airlines’ respective networks through interlining SPA (Special Prorate Agreements). The partners will also intensify their cooperation on the Express and Mail premium products in response to the substantial increase in e-commerce trade between Asia and Europe, and beyond.

With a fleet of 546 aircraft in operation Air France-KLM operates up to 2,200 daily flights from its hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol. In 2014, the Group carried 1.3 million tonnes of cargo and currently offers cargo maindeck capacity on two B777 Freighters, four B747-400 Freighters, four MD-11 Freighters and 15 B747-400 Combis.

Air France, KLM and China Southern are members of the SkyTeam alliance which has 20 member airlines, offering customers access to a global network of over 16,320 daily flights to 1,052 destinations in 177 countries.