On April 22, a cargo flight arrived in Guangzhou, the capital of South China’s Guangdong Province, from New York, marking the launch of the Chinese mainland’s first cargo route operating via a polar flight path.
The polar route from New York to Guangzhou, the shortest route connecting China and North America, was launched by China Southern Air Logistics (CSAL), a subsidiary of China Southern Air Holding Company Limited.
Compared with conventional routes across the Pacific, the polar route can avoid the high-altitude jet streams, cutting the flight time by about 40 minutes and reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
CSAL has chosen the Boeing 777F freighter, an aircraft capable of ultra-long-haul operations with a maximum payload of up to 105 tons, to operate the route.
CSAL enhanced the aircraft’s airworthiness and other operational support capabilities to ensure uninterrupted data communications between the aircraft and ground control during polar flights. The company also arranged specialized training programs for the flight crew to further ensure security. (....)