| Yangtze River Express adds freighter |
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Yangtze River Express, the all-cargo subsidiary of Hainan Airlines, China’s fourth largest airlines, received its ninth Boeing 737-300 freighter at Shanghai Pudong International Airport late last month. The newly arrived freighter completed conversion at Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Company (STAECO), with the whole conversion project lasting over three months (it began on April 19). This ninth B737 freighter increases the all-cargo fleet of Yangtze River Express to twelve: nine B737-300s and three B747-400s. The ninth B737-300 will commence service at the carrier’s newly launched domestic routes Shenzhen-Chengdu, Quanzhou early this month. Established in January 2003 as the second cargo airline in the country after China Cargo Airlines, Yangtze River Express is 51 percent owned by Hainan Airlines with the remaining percentage shared by four Taiwan companies, of which Taiwan’s China Airlines takes a 25 percent stake. By the end of 2009, Yangtze River Express operated over 200 flights every week on its 45 domestic and international all-cargo routes. The carrier plans an all-cargo fleet of 15 aircraft by 2010, building a Shanghai-centered network that will cover the world. According to its schedule, another B747-400 freighter will join in the month of September. Source: ACNFT, Aug 11, 2010 |
