An SF Airlines Boeing 747-400 all-cargo aircraft carrying 104 tons of cargo departed from the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport for Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Sunday, marking the official launch of the Shenzhen-Abu Dhabi international freight route.
The route has one flight scheduled per week and will primarily focus on transporting express parcels, e-commerce goods, and general cargo.
This is SF Airlines' first route to the Middle East from Shenzhen and represents another successful collaboration between SF Airlines and Etihad Cargo.
By June 2024, the two companies operated a total of 181 outbound domestic flights that carried tens of thousands of tons of cargo. Upon reaching the Middle East, goods can be distributed to over 15 major cities worldwide through Etihad Cargo's network.
Starting from today, SF Airlines plans to increase the number of freight flights on the Ezhou-Abu Dhabi and Shenzhen-Abu Dhabi routes. Under the arrangement, the number of outbound domestic flights operated by SF Airlines in cooperation with Etihad Cargo will increase to six flights per week, and those flights are expected to carry 630 tons of cargo per week.
The increase marks a new stage of cooperation between SF Airlines and Etihad Cargo in global freight that not only enhances international air freight capabilities, but also better meets the growing freight demands of China, the United Arab Emirates, and global customers.
This new cooperation will also promote the development of the aviation logistics industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, facilitate economic and trade exchanges between China and the UAE, and provide logistical support for the Belt and Road Initiative.