In China, Suparna Airlines, formerly Yangtze River Airlines, is planning to retire its 747-400Fs. Out of the three aircraft they have, one is parked in Shanghai, while the other two are 16.8 and 32.7 years old. They have announced that they will replace these with up to 10 777Fs in the next three years to focus more on cargo transportation. Additionally, the airline also operates 10 737-800s.
YTO Cargo Airlines, on the other hand, is expanding its services with a new route from Lanzhou to Hong Kong. Lanzhou, a significant industrial and petrochemical center, is strategically located on the Northern Silk Road and is poised to become a key hub on the New Eurasian Land Bridge.
SF Airlines has successfully completed its first drone delivery and plans to build a fleet of over 1,000 large vertical take-off drones within the next decade. These drones are capable of carrying more than 300kg of cargo in a 2.3 cubic meter space over distances exceeding 500km, resulting in a 70% reduction in delivery time.
Tianjin Air Cargo, operating six 737Fs, is increasing its Nanning-Dhaka service with up to 10 return flights per week due to high demand. The route is already served by SF Airlines, with both Nanning and Dhaka having thriving textile industries.
Despite financial losses in 2023, major Chinese carriers like Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern have announced plans for international expansion. They are projected to achieve record profits this year, with a combined forecast of $2.82bn. China Southern is adding 17 new international routes by the end of October and aims to reach 85% of its pre-pandemic route network by the end of the year. Additionally, the US Department of Transportation has increased the number of flights Chinese carriers can operate to the US from 35 to 50 per week.
China Eastern also plans to expand its network to capitalize on the expected growth in the aviation industry.
