Cargoitalia starts direct Shanghai flights

Italian all-cargo carrier Cargoitalia has started direct scheduled services twice a week to Shanghai Pudong Airport from its Milan (Malpensa) hub, using its recently-delivered third MD11 freighter.

The airline is now operating to Shanghai every Wednesday and Sunday, departing at 5am and arriving at 12.20 am the following day. Return flights depart at 2.50am and arrive at 11:55am.

The inaugural rotation achieved an average 76 percent load factor, with almost double the cargo booked on the return flight from China compared to the outbound service. The addition of Shanghai to the Cargoitalia network also opens up the potential for transhipment traffic to and from the US via Milan, using the airline’s New York and Chicago services.

Cargoitalia will increase frequency to Shanghai to three-times-weekly from October, bringing the weekly total of its outbound flights to 13. The airline’s network now includes New York, Chicago, Dubai, Sharjah, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

In Shanghai, Cargoitalia is represented by general sales agent New Asia Capital Resources, with which it also works in Hong Kong. Its handling agent is PACTL West (Shanghai Pudong International Airport Public Cargo Terminal Co. Ltd – West), while China Eastern Airlines is providing ramp handling.

Cargoitalia commercial director Roberto Gilardoni said the west-bound traffic was as strong as anticipated.

“We expect some imbalance in traffic flows initially, but as Italian industry continues to recover and the market becomes more familiar with our new service, this should even out demand east-bound,” Gilardoni said.

“Shanghai is an important element in our growth strategy, and we are in the market for the long term.”
(Source:www.cargonewsasia.com)