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45 Cargo Flights in May: DB Schenker starts China-Shuttle

[ April 30, 2020   //   ]

Three Boeing 767 passenger aircraft from Icelandair converted exclusively for DB Schenker • Further connections planned, including to Chicago • Urgently-needed capacity to tackle bottleneck from Coronavirus

Essen/Munich, April 30, 2020 – Capacities against the bottleneck: DB Schenker has set up a new daily air cargo connection between Shanghai and Munich. Three Boeing 767 passenger aircraft from Icelandair, converted exclusively for the leading global logistics service provider, will be used on this route. The first flights of the China Shuttle have already brought tons of medical equipment to Europe.

“Where capacity is lacking, we create it. DB Schenker is thus also expanding the global supply network in the fight against Coronavirus”, says Thorsten Meincke, Member of the Management Board for Air and Ocean Freight at DB Schenker. “With these additional flights, we have demonstrated our ability to act with flexibility and speed during a crisis.”

The China Shuttle is aimed specifically at customers who import medical equipment, such as masks or protective suits, from China to combat the spread of Coronavirus. Bookings for several thousand cubic meters of freight have already been received. The lead time to delivery at the destination is five to seven days. Initially, 45 shuttle flights are planned from Shanghai Pudong to Munich in 12 rotations per week, once fully operational. An expansion of the shuttle and further connections, e.g. twice a week to Chicago, are in preparation.

The cooperation partner Icelandair has converted the three passenger aircraft exclusively for DB Schenker by removing the passenger seats. This will create more than 200 cubic meters of cargo space in the belly and on the passenger deck. In addition, as part of the cooperation, a DB Schenker logo has been placed on the outer hull of the three Boeing 767. This is the first time the DB Schenker logo is presented on an aircraft.

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