China’s Central Airlines Launches East Midlands Cargo Flights

Central Airlines has launched a new scheduled cargo service to the UK, connecting Xiamen and Tianjin to Nottingham East Midlands Airport on behalf of Chinese logistics provider YunExpress. The route began operations on May 13, with flights scheduled twice weekly year-round.

According to ADS-B data, the airline operated its first flight to Nottingham East Midlands on May 5, ahead of the official launch. The return leg from the UK to Xiamen is operated non-stop. Central Airlines is using its Boeing 777-200F (registration B-2079) on the route, with the aircraft currently flying into Nottingham every three days.

This service marks Central Airlines’ entry into the UK market, with Nottingham East Midlands becoming the first British airport served by the Haikou-based carrier. Airport officials confirmed that YunExpress plans to expand its UK operations through the development of a dedicated warehouse facility at the airport.

The new route further strengthens Nottingham East Midlands’ position as a growing cargo hub. It follows the recent launch of new cargo services by Ethiopian Airlines and Atlas Air, which also began operating to the airport in May.

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Central Airlines operates a mixed cargo fleet of two Boeing 737-300(F)s, four Boeing 737-800(BCF)s, and four Boeing 777-200Fs. The carrier plans to expand its widebody operations while gradually phasing out some of its narrowbody freighter services to meet rising demand for long-haul cargo capacity.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com