Saudi airline opens freight route in China's Shenzhen

SHENZHEN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) B777 full-cargo aircraft took off from the Bao'an International Airport in the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen on March 16, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the airline's inaugural regular international cargo route from Shenzhen.

Operating twice weekly, the route primarily transports e-commerce goods, general trade goods and electronics, with cross-border e-commerce goods accounting for 60 percent of the cargo volume.

With the opening of the new route, Bao'an International Airport now operates 11 outbound cargo flights to Riyadh per week, with a weekly outbound capacity exceeding 1,100 tonnes, further facilitating the deepening of economic and trade cooperation between China and Belt and Road partner countries.

Currently, the airport's cargo routes serve five cities in four Middle Eastern countries, namely Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh, Istanbul and Tel Aviv, with over 38 weekly inbound and outbound cargo flights.