China's largest air cargo carrier, SF Airlines, is moving ahead with its operational expansion plans to meet growing demand at home and abroad.
The company said that it will be acquiring new aircraft to expand its fleet to increase capacity.
The cargo airline said that it has already added B757-200F converted freighters to its fleet, which is now at
The new aircraft was put into service ahead of the Singles Day shopping event last week, supporting the delivery of billions of dollars in goods across the nation.
The expansion is also meant to bolster the company's capabilities before the holiday season, particularly during the upcoming Double 12 shopping event and the 2021 Lunar New Year.
Apart from the expansion of its fleet, SF Airlines said that it would also be investing in the enhancement of its safety management, air and ground operations and professional training for current and new staff members. The additional spending will improve efficiency in anticipation of an upcoming increase in cargo demand.
According to the company, it set a record during the recently concluded Singles Day event. It claimed that it had to book more than 180 flights each day in the weeks leading up to the shopping extravaganza.
Data from the State Post Bureau showed that express delivery providers in the country handled more than 675 million parcels during the Singles Day shopping festival. This was a 26.16% increase when compared to the parcels delivered during the same day last year.
SF Airlines, the aviation unit of China's SF Express, said that it will also be moving forward with expanding its business abroad. The company added that it had already launched its new Shenzhen-Hangzhou-Los Angeles route.
The route, which the company claims should meet the logistic demands of manufacturing industries within the two Chinese cities, will be taken by its Boeing 747-400 cargo jet. The addition of the new route comes just days after SF Airlines launched its new route to Frankfurt, Germany.
