Xi'an opens two new all-cargo air routes

Two all-cargo air routes were launched between Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, and India's Chennai and Mumbai on Dec 7.

To date, Xi'an Xianyang International Airport has opened nine new all-cargo air routes throughout this year, raising its total to 27, of which 13 are international routes reaching eight countries around the world.

Operated by Sichuan Airlines with an Airbus A330-200F aircraft, the two air routes are scheduled twice a week. It is expected that the annual cargo and mail throughput will reach more than 10,000 metric tons.

The cargoes are mainly electronic products, clothing, and other e-commerce goods, which were gathered from Shenzhen, and Shanghai that are sent to Xi'an for transit.

"In the past, goods imported from India had to be transferred from other places, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, South Korea's Incheon or Thailand's Bangkok. The opening of the new routes will significantly improve efficiency and lower costs," said a staff member of Shenzhen Anda Shun International Logistics Co.

Chennai is an industrial city in India, while Mumbai is the country's commercial capital. They are important node cities along the Belt and Road.

The new routes is expected to further broaden the "Air Silk Road" between China and South Asia, which will also play an important role in building a large freight corridor between China and India, speeding up trade between Xi'an and South Asia.