Aircraft

China Southern Airlines plans to launch new cargo services to Europe and the USA using the six Boeing 777 freighters it has just ordered.

A Guangzhou-based official in China Southern’s cargo division says: “We compared the 747F with the 777F and we found that the 777F will be more profitable for long routes to the USA and Europe.”

China Southern announced to the Hong Kong stock exchange this morning that it has ordered six 777Fs for delivery between November 2008 and July 2010.

The airline group also confirmed that it has – on behalf of its Xiamen Airlines subsidiary – cancelled a firm order for three Boeing 787s and instead ordered six Boeing 737-800 passenger aircraft for delivery in 2010.

China Southern next year plans to convert six of its A300-600 passenger aircraft to freighters which will be used on routes within Asia.