Chinese express airlines expand with new carrier and new routes

A couple of Chinese air freight stories this week: first, a new carrier, part-owned by YTO Express, has been approved by the CAAC. Majority-owned by the government of Shaanxi, the new carrier will launch with 737s. As ATW points out, there is no English name yet, but its Chinese brand translates into the fairly long-winded “China Northwestern International Cargo Airlines”. The other news is the expansion of services by rival express operator SF Airlines into Singapore from Shenzhen. It will start with a weekly service using a 767-300F. Changi Airport said there was growing demand in China for perishables and pharmaceuticals from the south-west Pacific and South-east Asia. ATW reports.