China Southern to add two 777Fs, a sign combination carriers are hungry for freighters?

After a four-year period during which Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines’ twelve-unit 777F freighter fleet remained stable, growth has returned. China Southern converted an existing order with Boeing for the purchase of two 777-300ERs to the 777F freighter variant, the company announced in a notice that appeared on the Shanghai Stock Exchange today. Both aircraft will […]

• Charles Kauffman
• March 1, 2019

Cargo traffic declined in January

Almost unanimously carriers headquartered in Asia, Europe, and the Americas have begun reporting lower year-over-year cargo traffic for the month of January 2019. As can be seen from the chart at right, of the six major Asia-based carriers that have reported January traffic figures, all but one – China Airlines – have reported year-over-year declines […]

• Charles Kauffman
• February 20, 2019

Air freight traffic disappoints in December first look

The disappointing November results revealed in last month’s first look were apparently a preview for an overall diminished peak season for air freight, as volumes and traffic declined across all regions. Many of the same culprits behind November’s year-over-year decline – notably an increasingly uncertain global trade environment, faltering economic performance across multiple economies, and […]

• Caryn Livingston
• January 15, 2019

Asian freighter fleet analysis part II: Fleets chart long-distance courses

Last week, in Part I of our two-part analysis of the freighter fleet in service with carriers based in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, we began with an overview of the freighter fleets operated by carriers based in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Today, we continue with an analysis of the freighter fleet based in mainland […]

• Charles Kauffman
• October 9, 2018

Cargo growth continues in May results

May data arriving from the world’s big cargo carriers, airports, and handlers show that, with a couple of exceptions, growth in airfreight traffic has remained surprisingly strong despite increasingly tough year-over-year comparisons. While a couple of European outfits (Frankfurt Airport and Air France-KLM, in particular) posted y-o-y declines for the month, Asian operators that have […]

• Caryn Livingston
• June 14, 2018

JD Logistics adds second major airline partner, who’s next?

Last year, Chinese consumers bought more fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood, meats, and other perishable products through online channels than any other country in the world — and demand shows no sign of letting up. In order to accommodate this demand, the logistics subsidiary of Beijing-based JD.com, JD Logistics, has been actively expanding its domestic last-mile […]

• Charles Kauffman
• January 19, 2018

China Post to establish European HQ in Hanover

Last Tuesday, Stephan Weil, the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, announced that, after discussions between his government and executives from China Post, the logistics company had decided to establish its European headquarters at Hanover’s Langenhagen Airport. Beginning this summer, two freighter flights per week will carry mail and express parcels between Shanghai’s […]

• Charles Kauffman
• May 30, 2017

Air China Cargo and China Southern Cargo to merge?

As the Chinese Government moves to pare down its outlays on state-owned behemoths, it has been widely reported that the cargo and logistics operations of Beijing-based Air China and Guangzhou-based China Southern will be divested and merged into a single entity. Sources quoted in Bloomberg have even identified potential investors for the new company, which […]

• Charles Kauffman
• May 10, 2017