Zhengzhou airport's international cargo volume surges 288pc in 2012

NORTHERN China's Zhengzhou airport, serving the capital of Henan province, a city of 8.6 million, posted a 288 per cent increase in 2012 international air freight year on year to 49,568 tonnes, Xinhua reports.

First exceeding 10,000 tonnes in 2011, Zhengzhou airport's international cargo throughput has been rising sharply since. During the first 10 months of 2012, when the air cargo market was gloomy throughout China, the airport's overall cargo volume has surpassed 100,000 tonnes, which was the full-year volume of 2011.

The rapid growth of the airport's cargo business has attracted AirBridgeCargo Airlines, UPS, Cathay Pacific, Yangtze River Express, China Southern Airlines, Korean Air, Eva Air and Mandarin Airlines.

The airport is now operating a total of 25 all-cargo flights a week to and from Moscow, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Prague and Chicago. It is also operating 32 bellyhold cargo services per week to Seoul, Jakarta, Singapore, Bangkok and Taipei.

China has announced a development plan for the central hinterland region, stating that Zhengzhou will be developed into an important air-related industry cluster by 2020.