Online marketplace JD.com has re-launched its dedicated all-cargo operation from Shenzhen to Wuxi on May 7 through a new partnership with Zhejiang Loong Airlines.
The company said that the dedicated Boeing 737-300F, which is branded with the JD Express logo, will enable it to provide faster and more reliable delivery service to customers in Yangtze River Delta and Great Bay Area.
"Customers who place orders in the afternoon can receive them the next morning, expanding coverage at this speed by 300% to 24 cities," JD.com said in a statement.
The service will initially fly six round trips a week, covering business-to-customer transportation and individual parcel delivery throughout China. JD has also opened this service to third party merchants and partners beyond the JD platform.
"The use of an all-cargo aircraft is more reliable and flexible than the common alternative of bellyhold capacity on civil passenger airlines because flight times can be adjusted according to industry demand," it said.
"In full capacity, this aircraft can load 14 tons of goods, covering 130 cu m – 10 times the amount of bellyhold capacity on a single civil passenger aircraft.
"The aircraft also addresses some of the challenges regarding air transportation resource availability during Covid-19."
JD has already partnered with industry leading airlines, including China Southern Airlines, Air China Cargo and China Eastern Airlines.
Going forward, JD plans to open more all-cargo flights from Wuxi to Tianjin, stretching the service to Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area.
The company first launched an all-cargo operation in November 2018.
