This month will see a total of eight charter flights taking off from Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (TNA), China, destined for Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD). Operated by Atlas Air, the flights are on behalf of Shanghai-based freight-forwarder, Rich Sale International, which is specialized in cross-border e-commerce services. From SEP26 onwards, these flights will become scheduled services, operating twice per week between China and the US. Once the goods arrive in the US, they are unloaded and dispersed across the Midwest using lowboy trailers (interesting information, given that these low bed semi-trailers are normally used for outsize, heavy cargo?) arranged by Gateway Sales and Solutions.
Zack Oakley, Executive Director, RFD, announced: “China to North America is one of the largest lanes in air cargo, and e-commerce is its backbone right now. We are creating the premier operation for bringing e-commerce into the United States, continually developing our solutions and supporting them with a growing number of flights from China and Southeast Asia. Rockford’s capabilities are particularly well-suited to e-commerce, providing an efficient, reliable, and flexible operation without the congestion or restrictions found at many larger passenger hubs, with aircraft moving from wheels down to engines off in as little as five minutes.”
Jacky Wu, President, Rich Sale, added: “E-commerce requires fast and adaptable cargo operations, which cannot always be found at passenger hubs where cargo often plays second fiddle. When we assessed the best entry point for e-commerce cargo into the United States, Rockford stood out for offering the dedicated, cargo-focused operation we need to serve our customers effectively.”
