New frontier: China Southern Airlines launches Vietnam freighter service
GUANGZHOU, China — China Southern Airlines, China’s largest airline by passenger numbers, on Thursday launched its first freighter service linking Guangzhou with Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The freighter service will fly into Vietnam twice a week, boosting the airline’s cargo capacity to 200 tons a week.
In line with the Chinese government’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative — a plan to boost development along ancient trading routes from China via Central Asia, the Middle East to Europe — the airline’s freighter service aims to cater to growing demand for transporting goods between China and Southeast Asia.
The freighter service will be used to ship fabrics, components and other materials from Guangzhou to boost production at plants in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. China Southern Airlines already flies passengers between Guangzhou and Vietnam. Combined with the freighter service, the airline’s total transport volume will increase to 270 tons a week.
China Southern Airlines currently owns 14 freighters. It plans to launch Guangzhou-Tianjin-Chicago freighter service in October.
New frontier: China Southern Airlines launches Vietnam freighter service