Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP) is proud to announce the launch of new Boeing 747-400ERF or BCF freighter service, operated by Martinair, from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) to Hong Kong (HKG) via Dubai (DWC). After an absence of almost nine years, KLM/Martinair freighters will return to HKG with a new service, enhancing our cargo operations and offering our global customers greater flexibility and capacity.

The inaugural flight is scheduled to depart on 19 September 2024. The service will initially operate thrice weekly, increasing to four weekly flights from the start of the carrier’s winter schedule on 27 October 2024. The flights to Hong Kong will depart Amsterdam on Monday (starting 27 October 2024,) Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The return flights depart Hong Kong on Tuesday*, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. This new service will provide an impressive capacity of 110 tonnes per flight, facilitating seamless cargo movement across key international hubs and offering a wide range of onward connections to the Americas and Africa via our Amsterdam Schiphol hub.

This new service allows us to offer unparalleled flexibility across the routes AMS/DWC, AMS/HKG, and DWC/HKG, as well as return flights from HKG/DWC, HKG/AMS, and DWC/AMS. They will significantly strengthen our freighter footprint in Asia and are a welcome addition to our flights from Paris CDG to Mumbai (BOM) and Beijing (PEK). By enhancing connectivity and expanding our reach, we aim to serve our customers better and facilitate growth in these critical markets.

As part of our network strategy, some of our current routes in Latin America will be suspended. We will, however, continue to operate our freighter services to Bogotá (BOG) three times a week via Miami (MIA). AFKLMP Cargo also remains steadfast in its commitment to serving the Caribbean and Latin America through our extensive belly network. We offer 145 weekly flights to 24 destinations, making sure our customers in these regions continue to receive reliable and efficient cargo services.

Adriaan den Heijer, EVP Cargo at Air France-KLM and managing director Martinair, commented, “In the East Asian market, the e-commerce segment is growing steadily, driving increased demand for efficient and reliable air freight solutions. The introduction of this new Boeing 747 freighter service is a crucial step in adding main deck capacity to our extensive belly network. This expansion not only strengthens our freighter footprint in Asia but also offers more options and greater flexibility to our customers. By enhancing our connectivity and broadening our reach, we are better positioned to support the growth and evolving needs of our global customer base.”