Qatar Airways Cargo announced it will resume scheduled belly-hold cargo operations to China with the utilisation of wide-body and passenger-configurated aircraft. The additional cargo capacity is being added to the carrier’s existing freighter service amid increased demand for the shipment of immediate goods in and out of the region.

The decision to reinstate belly-hold service to six of its passenger destinations in the country is in line with airline’s initiative to continue supporting worldwide connectivity, re-establishing the global supply chain. This includes the transportation of urgent medical relief aid that is pivotal to the global fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways Group said: “We are pleased to resume belly-hold cargo operations to China where the Covid-19 pandemic has been significantly contained and industrial production is restoring nationwide.”

The belly-hold cargo flights will be operated on a turnaround basis assuming the routes’ previously assigned flight numbers and frequencies, without any cabin crew members or passengers on-board. Supplementing the already-robust cargo payload offered on the carrier’s existing four freighter routes to China, the recommencement of belly-hold service will add significant cargo capacity to six cities that include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing and Hangzhou.