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IATA names China Airlines as world's 6th biggest cargo carrier

THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) has named Taiwan's China Airlines (CAL) the sixth biggest air cargo carrier in 2014, flying 1.3 million tons of cargo last year, up eight per cent year on year.

In terms of freight revenue ton-kilometres (FRTK), CAL ranked tenth worldwide last year, with 5.266 billion ton-kilometres, up nine per cent from 2013, according to IATA statistics, reported CNA.

CAL said that since the third quarter of last year, it has been operating chartered cargo flights from the west coast of the United States, meeting strong demand amid congestion at American west coast seaports.

With stable fuel prices boosting the air transport market this year, the air carrier said it will explore new cargo sources such as US fruit exports to Asia, e-commerce-generated shipments and postal services.

In the first five months of the year, the airline operated 17 chartered cargo flights to the US from Taiwan, Japan and Vietnam, which helped boost its cargo shipment revenue six per cent year on year. The airline's FRTK grew eight per cent year on year in the five-month period.

The airline also said that encouraged by the growth, it will increase its weekly scheduled cargo flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi from three to four, starting in July, in an effort to win shipment contracts from e-commerce and textile industries in Vietnam.

CAL currently has a fleet of 85 cargo planes, 21 of which are the B747-400F all-cargo model. By using a combination of all-cargo aircraft and passenger planes, CAL offers 91 cargo flights a week to 33 destinations worldwide, including 10 all-cargo destinations.