Securing the second-ever all-cargo flight to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is a key win for the airport and the B.C. economy, according to the Vancouver Airport Authority (VAA).
This month, China Southern Airlines Co., Ltd. launched an all-cargo flight, which will carry luxury B.C. fresh foods from YVR to Shanghai four times a week. The return trip will bring China-made goods, particularly electronics, back to the West Coast.
Tony Gugliotta, VAA’s senior vice-president of marketing and business development, said that while an all-cargo flight doesn’t yield as much revenue for YVR as a passenger flight because it generates no terminal fees, it’s a business area the airport is keen to develop.
He added that the flight will boost B.C.’s economy.
“[The flight] facilitates trade,” he said. “When trade is facilitated, obviously there’s an economic impact, which is pretty positive and results in the creation of jobs locally.”
YVR estimates that the flight will generate about 41 jobs. This is only the second all-cargo flight YVR has secured; the first, operated by Cathay Pacific since 1993, travels to Hong Kong three times a week.
Dora Kay, VAA’s senior policy adviser for Asia, said YVR’s crucial competitive advantage over its North American competitors in attracting Asia-bound all-cargo flights is its ability to fill the “back haul” – the flight back to Asia.
“Normally, large cities in North America take in a lot through imports but don’t have much to export,” she said.
“Whereas in the Pacific Northwest, we can satisfy that demand in that we’ve got products to export back to Asia.”
She said the new China Southern flight goes from Shanghai to Los Angeles, then up to Vancouver to fill remaining capacity before heading back to Shanghai.
Goods being shipped to Shanghai, she said, include Dungeness crabs, geoducks, blueberries, strawberries and cherries. Kay said YVR is looking to attract other carriers to operate flights to other cities in China.
As for other Asian destinations, Gugliotta said those countries’ cargo demands have thus far been met with the cargo capacity of passenger aircraft.
“But obviously as the business opportunity arises that supports an all-cargo freighter I think you’ll see them to other points in Asia as well.”
In June, China Southern announced its first service with YVR: a passenger service to Guanghzhou, China.