Beijing's new airport opens first air cargo route

BEIJING -- An all-cargo flight carrying a shipment of fresh waxberries landed in the Beijing Daxing International Airport on Thursday morning, marking the launch of the airport's first air cargo route since it commenced operation.

The flight, which is a B757-200 aircraft, was operated by SF Airlines, the aviation branch of China's express giant SF Express. It departed from Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, for Beijing with a consignment of fresh local waxberries.

Currently, the airport has 24 cargo aircraft stands, and it can handle 2 million tonnes of goods a year.

The Beijing Daxing International Airport opened to flights in September 2019. Located 46 km south of downtown Beijing, the new aviation hub is shaped like a phoenix spreading out its wings. By 2025, its passenger and cargo throughputs are expected to reach 72 million and 2 million tonnes, respectively, with 620,000 takeoffs and landings.