IAG Cargo is hoping that peak demand for electronics, pharmaceuticals and automobile parts will help fill additional Boeing 777 flights to Shanghai.
The cargo arm of British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, said the airline group’s new flight from Madrid to Shanghai had touched down for the first time today, while its winter schedule between Heathrow and the Chinese city will be increased to 10 flights per week instead of the seven it operated last year.
These will be serviced by B777 aircraft, with the next generation B787-9 Dreamliner set to be introduced in winter 2017.
With the new route from Madrid and the additional weekly services out of London, IAG cargo capacity from Shanghai will increase by 65% increase in capacity per week as of winter 2016, compared to winter 2015.
IAG Cargo head of commercial David Shepherd said: “Our new direct route from Madrid to Shanghai will provide our customers with better connections between East Asia and Latin America and to our wider network which spans over 350 destinations.
“With high technology goods, pharmaceuticals and automobile parts driving both imports and exports and our additional services and larger, more cargo-friendly aircraft, we are able to offer forwarders greater flexibility and efficiency over where and when they ship their goods.”
“With the noted general global growth in e-commerce transactions, this additional Asia Pacific capacity and frequency will allow forwarders to respond swiftly to any sudden increases in demand. This will be of particular benefit when we head into peak season.”
