Air China Cargo has launched a new route between China and Europe as part of the nation’s efforts to stimulate business in weak sectors such as air freight. A Boeing 747 jet will serve the route — Shanghai-Beijing to Vienna-Milan — three times a week.
Yao Jun, president of Air China Cargo, said, "We have seen a recovery in the global cargo business, so we plan to enhance our presence in Middle and Southern Europe. But it’s still too early to predict when the route will be profitable because freight rates are still 20% to 30% lower than a year earlier despite recovering demand."
The carrier has been transferring its major cargo fleet to Shanghai, the world’s fourth-largest city by cargo volume.
Shanghai Daily reported that China’s air cargo volume, which was damped by waning global demand, recovered in August with 18.1% growth from a year earlier. That followed a year-on-year expansion of 3.2% in July.