Air China Cargo

Krief Group is tipping China’s Air China Cargo to open an Israel route in mid-2009.

Krief, the Israeli agent for Air China, said there already is 600 tons of air freight a month sent between Israel and China, with an equal share between imports and exports, although most is routed through Europe via various airlines.

Krief said a direct air cargo route would boost trade, especially Israeli exports to China.

Air China is able to overfly Arab countries, which Israel’s El Al cannot do, making a service economical. El Al previously operated a route, but found the costs to be prohibitive.
Source: AirCargo Asia Pacific

Air cargo Shanghai

China’s air cargo market will continue to grow despite a recent slowdown in exports as the US economy contracts.

Speaking at a recent air cargo forum in Shanghai, air cargo company executives said China’s market was moving towards a more balanced trade, maturing with quality services and eco-friendly efficiency.

Alexander Kopkov, air cargo manager of ATC International Freight and Forwarding (Shanghai), noted that China did not only lead the region in the international air market, but that its development and global integration was boosting the economies of neighboring partners such as Russia.

Air transport volume between China and Russia, which has been increasing over the past few years, was the deciding factor in ensuring Russia’s air cargo market maintained a two-digit growth over the next decade and a half, Kopkov said.

Sebastian Chan, vice-president of supply chain operations at UPS China, agreed, noting that the domestic market was taking on increasing importance, as seen by the high numbers of imports and the investment in domestic transportation in China. More on this HERE.
Source: CargoNews Asia

Rising fuel costs are changing flight services. US airline Northwest Airlines Corp says that from June 1, its NWA Cargo unit will raise fuel surcharges in selected markets.
International fuel surcharges, excluding traffic originating in Japan, will be increased to US$1.20 per kilogram, up from US$1.10.

Additionally, westbound trans-Pacific shipments from the United States to Shanghai and Guangzhou, China and points beyond will attract a 40-cent-per-kilogram fuel surcharge above current all-in base rates.

Domestic US fuel surcharges will be raised to 44 cents per pound from 42 cents and the security surcharge will increase to 6 cents per pound from 4.5 cents, the company said.

Northwest Airlines also plans to cancel its freighter service to Guangzhou.

It will instead shift operations to its north China air cargo hub, operating 12 weekly freighter services between the US and the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
Source: Aircargo AsiaPacific

According to a forecast for the global aviation market recently released by Airbus, China’s air passenger traffic will grow five times and  air cargo six times from 2008 to 2026.

The Chinese mainland will need to add more than 2,800 passenger aircraft and cargo aircraft with a total value of more than $329 billion, meaning a three-time increase in the number of passenger aircraft and 11-fold increase in the number of cargo aircraft.

The additional aircraft needed by the Chinese mainland will take up 11.6% of the global passenger and cargo aircraft demand (24,000) for the same period. This will make China the second largest aviation market with the United States retaining first position.

According to this forecast, the additional aircraft in the Chinese mainland will include 1900 single-aisle aircraft, about 700 twin-aisle aircraft and 190 super large aircraft.
Source: English People’s Daily Online

China’s Xiamen International Airport Group has said it is considering partnerships with Taiwan carriers in the hope that working together the two sides could establish regular weekly flights.

The airport, located in southeast China’s Fujian province just across from Taiwan, is looking at various options, including transforming itself into an air cargo hub for flights to Taiwan.

However, we are still at the tentative stage. It has not yet entered into concrete negotiations with air companies from Taiwan.

The state-owned airport group was well positioned for closer cooperation with Taiwanese carriers as it had been taking chartered flights between Taiwan and the mainland for years.

The incoming government of Taiwan president-elect Ma Ying-jeou seems to be leaning towards July 4 for the start of the first regular direct charter flights between China and Taiwan in this new relationship.

Currently, only holiday services are allowed on passenger charter flights, and cargo flights are conducted on a case-by-case basis. Soon — how soon and by whom remains to be decided — there will be regular flights. It will come as no surprise to anyone that American airlines are demanding that they be allowed in on this route citing the open skies policy. Logic tells us this is unlikely.
Source: AFP