JD Airlines launches Shenzhen–Singapore–Shenzhen freighter service
The service is operated using a Boeing 737-800BCF and will run every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Image: Changi Airport
JD Airlines, the air cargo division of JD Logistics, also known as Jingdong Logistics, a Chinese supply chain and logistics company, has launched a thrice-weekly scheduled freighter service on the Shenzhen–Singapore–Shenzhen route.
The service is operated using a Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft and will run every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, departing Shenzhen at 09:00 hrs and arriving in Singapore at 15:00 hrs.
Carrying cross-border e-commerce packages and high-end electronic products, JD Airlines’ Boeing 737-800BCF freighter registered as B-5113 operated its inaugural flight from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport to Singapore Changi Airport on September 19.
The Boeing 737-800BCF freighter, with a maximum one-way payload of 22 tonnes, will enable faster and more efficient delivery of high-end electronics, smart devices, and cross-border e-commerce packages from South China exporters to Southeast Asian gateways, thanks to its scheduled direct flights and high-frequency, stable operations, according to an official release from JD Airlines.
The launch of this route is a significant step for JD Airlines to serve the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area economic circle and the core markets of Southeast Asia. It will help Shenzhen, a highland of technology manufacturing and cross-border e-commerce, to more efficiently connect with Singapore, an important global logistics hub and commercial hub, promote the ‘fast entry and exit’ of high-value-added goods, and create a stable and efficient logistics channel for foreign trade companies.
The carrier said the outbound cargo mainly consists of consumer electronics and e-commerce packages bound for Singapore, with a small portion of high-speed shipments transiting through Singapore to Europe and the United States. Return cargo primarily includes electronics, local auto parts, and e-commerce goods moving from Europe and the U.S. via Singapore.
“We hope that through this route, we can open a smoother channel for Chinese manufacturing and Chinese sellers, and improve the turnover efficiency of the entire supply chain in Southeast Asia and the international market,” said a JD Airlines spokesperson.
In the future, JD Airlines will use Shenzhen as an important fulcrum to continue to expand its air routes in South China, providing strong logistics support for the high-quality development of the regional economy, the release added.
JD Airlines operates a fleet of 10 Boeing 737-800 freighters, with an average age of 18.9 years, according to Planespotters.net.
In a LinkedIn post, Changi Airport said: “Today, Shenzhen and Singapore serve as a vital air logistics gateway in the Greater Bay Area and Southeast Asia, respectively. The service further strengthens the connectivity between two growing regions, thereby facilitating new regional trade flows through Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport. We look forward to building on this partnership and driving growth together.”
JD Airlines currently operates more than 20 scheduled domestic and international routes, including Nantong to Incheon, Ezhou to Bangkok, Chengdu to Yangon, and Shenzhen to Kuala Lumpur, continuously enhancing connections from domestic manufacturing to overseas markets. The airline uses JD Logistics’ integrated warehouse network, trunk routes, and terminal network.
