Noting that Beijing Capital International Airport is ill-equipped to fulfill future cross-border-fueled airlift demands in China, Hainan Airlines has launched a new cargo airline in the neighboring city of Tianjin. The new airline, Tianjin Cargo Airlines, which was registered on April 27 with initial operating capital of US$107 million, will be a joint-venture between Hainan Airlines Group and the Tianjin local government, through the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone.
\nTianjin’s Binhai Airport is poised to become a major airfreight handling airport.
\nTianjin Cargo Airlines plans to capitalize on the capacity limitations and congestion issues that plague the nearby airport in Beijing.\u00a0 Within five years, the venture is expected to operate a fleet of between 50 and 100 aircraft, operating on mostly international routes between Tianjin, Northeast Asia, Europe and the Americas.
\nA representative from the Port Free Trade Zone added in an interview with local media that the airline aims to fill major gaps in cross-border e-commerce airlift, with little room for expansion in Beijing.
\nMajor online retailers in China, such as JD.com, already have significant operations in the free-trade zone, and the airport is served by DHL, FedEx, UPS and TNT Express and Chinese express carrier SF Airlines.
\nSource: aircargoworld<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"