AirBridgeCargo Adds Chengdu to its Network

Russian scheduled freight carrier AirBridgeCargo Airlines has inaugurated flights to Shuangliu International Airport in the western Chinese city of Chengdu. The link to the capital of Sichuan province was opened earlier this month as an additional stop on the airline’s existing three times weekly flight between Zhengzhou, the airline’s Moscow base and the Dutch capital Amsterdam. The flight is operated by a Boeing 747-400F.

Although this is AirBridgeCargo’s first scheduled flight to the destination, it has previously flown special cargo charters for its parent company Volga-Dnepr Group from Chengdu alongside sister carrier Volga-Dnepr Airlines. Its 747 fleet also operated alongside Volga-Dnepr’s giant Antonov An-124 transports to deliver relief goods and medical and rescue equipment to the region after it was hit by a devastating earthquake in May 2008.

The service will undoubtedly benefit the local export manufacturing and freight forwarding communities. ABC is confident of gaining support for the service from manufacturers and freight forwarders with the link valuable for the time critical and security-sensitive commodities for Chengdu’s thriving high-tech industry. The direct delivery of high-end products from Europe will also help to satisfy Chengdu’s fast developing consumer market.

Chengdu’s Shuangliu International Airport was the sixth busiest passenger and cargo airport in China during 2010 and will be the host of this year’s Routes Asia forum which will take place in Chengdu between April 15 -17, 2012.