New cargo carrier Hangzhou YTO Airlines makes inaugural flight
The new YTO Express-owned air cargo carrier, Hangzhou YTO Airlines, made its inaugural flight on Saturday (26 September). According to a report published by Air Transport World, the company made its first flight from Hangzhou to Chengdu.
YTO Express – one of China’s biggest express delivery companies – received formal approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in June to launch the new air cargo carrier.
The company has started up operations with a Boeing 737-300 plane and will introduce two more before the end of this year, according to the Air Transport World report.
A report published by World Civil Aviation Resource Net (WCARN.com) in August said that Donghai Airlines delivered the three Boeing 737s to YTO in June.
On Thursday (24 September), WCARN.com reported that Hangzhou YTO Express Airlines had signed a launch customer agreement (LCA) with Boeing Co. for 15 Boeing 737-800BCFs. The 737-800 BCF is still within the product development cycle at the moment, but Boeing does have authority to offer it to customers.
A number of Chinese express deliveries have recently set up air cargo carriers recently. Furthermore, as Post&Parcel reported on Friday (25 September), Okay Airlines (OKAIR), Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), Vipshop and other investors have launched up a new joint venture company, United Star Express Airlines Co. Ltd, which is set to start operations in mid-2016.
