AIRWAYS SPECIAL
8 Boxes behind unloaded from the cargo pods are slid along the galley floor on roller matts to an exit . The entire offload process can be accomplished in two hours . Image credit European Cargo .
9 Three of the company A340-600 ’ s that are currently undergoing cargo conversion . Their previous operators are quite apparent from the remnants of their color schemes , apart from all-white 9H-PGS in the middle which is ex- Etihad ( A6-EHK ).
10 Air Freight destined for China arrives at the aircraft promptly after the offload has been completed . The aircraft is on the ground a mere few hours before being back in the air . means we are on track for full cabin utilization , giving each aircraft a combined belly and cabin capacity of 77 tonnes or 450 cubic meters [ 15,900cu ft ]. With six freighters already at Bournemouth for conversion and a further six available to us , that catapults us into the number one slot of UK-based wide-bodied freighters by some margin . And it makes Bournemouth Airport a huge contender in the UK air freight market .”
FROM CHARTERS TO SCHEDULES
European Cargo initially conducted over 400 flights to transport PPE and test kits from Asia to the UK , gaining a vast expertise in operating the A340 in the cargo role . As these flights started to wind down , the airline looked to diversify and explore new markets for its fleet . For example , it welcomed ad-hoc charter requests to transport an array of goods worldwide .
Notably , in December 2021 , the airline operated a short-notice charter from Bournemouth to St . Maarten , carrying stage and sound equipment for a billionaire ’ s New Year ’ s Eve party . The following April , it received a request to transport Coca-Cola concentrate from Ireland to Dallas to keep the Texas production line going . But , amid the pandemic , no Irish airports were available to service the A340 , forcing the company to haul the goods across the Irish Sea and fly directly from Bournemouth to reach the customer on time .
The airline secured a strong footing in crossborder e-commerce by collaborating with Shenzhen Sharing Express Logistic-Tech Ltd ., which set up a dedicated e-commerce route from Chengdu to Bournemouth . The importance of the route as an e-commerce gateway was underlined by a trade mission agreement between Sichuan Province and Bournemouth , including the signing of a cargo development agreement between Sichuan Province Airport Group Company and Regional & City Airports , the owner of Bournemouth Airport . The pact aims to build ‘ Chengdu-Bournemouth ’ as a dual hub platform for the import and export of e-commerce goods .
The inaugural service commenced in April 2023 , initially operating three times a week . Within six months , capacity doubled . By December , service was up to nine times a week . European says its success is owed to the lack of congestion at Bournemouth and to a partnership with the airport ’ s Cargo First freight business , which controls the handling of goods from airside to landslide . As a result , shipments get to customer warehouses in half the time it would take through a London hub airport .
“ We ’ re delighted that Cargo First is part of this strategic partnership with European Cargo , offering a fast and efficient route for cross border e-commerce into the UK ,” said Steve Gill , Bournemouth Airport ’ s managing director . “ Together we can save customers a lot of time in a time-sensitive market . That ’ s a huge selling point . Working with European Cargo we ’ ve proven Bournemouth as a viable alternative gateway to London and the Southeast for commercial air cargo .”
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Following this success , the airline is now an official UK-designated carrier for China and is working hard to achieve ‘ Scheduled Carrier ’ status from the Civil Aviation Administration of
40 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2024 www . airwaysmag . com