New friends... and old

2018 got off to a flying start for Hactl, with no less than three new customers appointing the company as their cargo handlers. Two of these are totally new visitors to Hong Kong.

YTO Cargo Airlines (YG), which started operations in 2015, has launched a new route from Wuxi to Hong Kong. The new service also sees the first deployment of the airline’s newly-acquired 30-tonne capacity B757-200F, which is operating four rotations per week. Up to now, YG has had an all-737F fleet; now further B757Fs are due for delivery during 2018.

20 million parcels daily

YG is the aircraft operating arm of the Shanghai-based Chinese courier firm YTO Express, the second largest network coverage parcel carrier in China (after China Post); it handles 20 million parcels per day, the majority of which are e-commerce goods.

YTO Express is one of 14 partners that work closely with Alibaba’s Cainiao logistics subsidiary, which integrates multi-modal transport suppliers and express couriers across China, to achieve seamless delivery of express packages. The Cainiao network itself now moves around 42 million parcels per day.

Hactl is providing YG with a one-stop-shop ramp and terminal handling service for its Hong Kong flights. YG plans the addition of scheduled flights to Philippines, Russia, Japan, South Korea and Macau in due course.

Says Mr. Weijiao YU, Chairman & President of YTO Express: “We are very excited about our new services to Hong Kong, marking the beginning of the next stage in our global expansion plans. Hactl’s considerable experience in handling express operators and e-commerce shipments makes it our ideal service partner."

Secured capacity through partnership

Another new entrant to the Hong Kong arena is Florida-based freighter operator Western Global Airlines, which has commenced a new twice-weekly 747- 400F scheduled service between Hong Kong and Los Angeles, in partnership with US forwarder Flexport. Hactl is providing ramp handling, terminal handling and all documentation for the flights.

Flexport is a freight forwarder and logistics platform. Founded in 2013, the company moves freight globally by air, ocean, rail, and truck for the world's leading brands. Flexport says its software unlocks efficiencies, improves user experiences, and enables more data-driven decisions, making global trade easy for everyone.

Announcing the launch of the joint service, Neel Jones Shah, Flexport’s SVP and Global Head of Air Freight said: “This new partnership allows Flexport to offer predictable, affordable and a custom-tailored service to our customers with guaranteed capacity through seamless, dedicated scheduled service in the important Hong Kong to US markets."

Western Global’s CEO and Founder, Jim Neff added: “Working with Hong Kong’s leading freighter handler, Hactl, will help ensure that we can provide our customer Flexport with optimum service levels based on highly-efficient ground operations.” The airline also plans to add a further weekly flight from September.

Western Global is an FAA Certified 121 all-cargo airline operating an owned fleet of B747-400 and MD-11 freighter aircraft worldwide for many of the top airlines, express companies, logistics providers, humanitarian and relief organizations, and the US DOD.

EVA returns

Meanwhile, Hactl welcomes back an old friend in the shape of EVA Air of Taiwan, after a break of around three years.

Hactl will once again provide all cargo handling services for the airline’s operations from Hong Kong, which now number over 60 passenger flights and 8 wide-body freighter flights every week.

EVA Air also plans increasing use of the SuperLink China Direct road feeder services provided by Hactl’s subsidiary Hacis, so it can extend its market catchment to include the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region.

Announcing the return to Hactl, EVA Air’s General Manager, Hong Kong, Peter Chang, said: “It is a pleasure to return to Hactl, extending our long-term and highly-successful previous collaboration. We particularly look forward to using the Hacis road feeder services system to maximise our capacity utilisation.”

Commenting on the new business gains, Hactl Executive Director Vivien Lau says: “This is a very positive start to 2018. Although there is always strong competition in Hong Kong, it’s clear that our unparalleled experience in cargo handling, our continuing investment in providing the very best resources and, above all, our total commercial neutrality add up to a convincing proposition."