At 0:38 on July 26, a cargo plane (K4819), carrying over 80,000 packages weighing a total of 77 tons, departed from Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport. It is scheduled to arrive at Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Mexico approximately 23 hours later.
"The number of cross-border e-commerce chartered flights departing from Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport can reach a maximum of 15 per day," according to Wang Menghui from Zhengzhou Airport Customs. On average, they have been supervising nearly 300 tons of cross-border e-commerce export goods daily in recent times, with a peak volume exceeding 470 tons in a single day. Additionally, there are 46 flights per week dedicated to transporting cross-border e-commerce exports.
Cross-border e-commerce chartered flights frequently depart from Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone (ZAEZ) to destinations worldwide, illustrating the rapid expansion of cross-border e-commerce exports in Henan. In the first half of 2024, cross-border e-commerce goods exported from Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport totaled over 34,000 tons, exceeding the 2023 annual figure. The value of cargo surpassed 5 billion yuan, marking an increase of more than 40 percent year-on-year, and the number of cross-border e-commerce chartered flights exceeded 1,000, highlighting a significantrise, according to reports.
What factors contribute to the thriving air transportation of cross-border e-commerce in Henan?
Efficient and speedy cargo handling. Fan Guijiang, general manager of Henan Yunsutong Foreign Trade Comprehensive Service Co., Ltd. highlighted the strategic advantages of ZAEZ's central location within China. With a one-hour intercity railway, a 300 km expressway coverage, an 800 km high-speed rail network, and a well-integrated multimodal transportation system featuring "four ports connectivity" , Zhengzhouis easily accessible for cross-border e-commerce shipments from across the country.
All-around airlines. By the end of June, Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airporthad hosted 25 cargo airlines operating 50 routes, connecting 57 cities across 25 countries. This extensive network forms a hub linking the key global economies of Europe, the United States and Asia. Since 2024, over 10 new cargo airlines have been launched from Zhengzhou to destinations such as Frankfurt (Germany), Chicago (USA), Atlanta/Dallas (USA), Osaka (Japan), Clark (Philippines), expanding the global air logistics network accessible from the region.
Favorable policies. A series of reforms and innovations have been implemented at ZAEZ, including the round-the-clockcustoms clearance guarantee, "advance cargo declaration" forexports, and electronic ports, which expedite customs procedures forcross-border e-commerce goods, said Gan Yongping, section chief of the Port Development Division of the Port Management Department at the ZAEZ Administration.
"The burgeoning sector of cross-border e-commerce chartered flights is facilitating the global export of Henan's locally made products, such aswigs from Xuchang and outdoor goods from Zhengzhou, which are frequently transported via these chartered flights." Wang Menghui said that major cross-border e-commerce platforms likeShein, Temu, AliExpress and Cainiao are increasingly favoring ZAEZ, driving an uptick in the frequency of charter flights departing from Henan. The current trends indicate a thriving business for Henan's cross-border e-commerce chartered flights, with ongoing growth in both volume and demand. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Yang Ling and Zhao Tongzeng Trainee reporter: Zhu Xilong Intern: Liu Yaoze Translator: Yang Jiaxin and Zhang Yahan Proofreader: Ding Lan)
