YTO Cargo Airlines (YG, Hangzhou) has commenced commercial freight operations with its maiden flight - Hangzhou-Chengdu Shuangliu - having occurred on Saturday, September 26.
China's WCARN news reports operations are on-board one of the start-up's two B737-300(F)s - B-2505 (msn 28657). A second and third airframe of the same type are expected to begin active flights in November and December respectively. The carrier is licenced to operate domestic as well as international freight flights.
YTO Express Airlines is majority owned by Chinese logistics firm YTO Express Group with a 90% stake while the Group's chairman Yu Huijiao and vice chairman Zhang Xiaojuan each hold 5% respectively.
As recently reported, the start-up is the launch customer for Boeing's B737-800BCF programme of which YTO has ordered fifteen airframes.
