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Memphis Business Journal - 12:22 PM CST Thursday

FedEx launches industry's first direct flights between China and Europe

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world's largest express transportation company, has launched the express air cargo industry's first direct flight from mainland China to Europe.

The flights will provide daily service from Shanghai, China to Frankfurt, Germany using a MD-11 freighter.

The new China-Europe flight forms an important link in the FedEx network, connecting the U.S., Asia and Europe. It is part of a new westbound around-the-world flight that originates and terminates in Memphis, where FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) is headquartered, and provides connections via the FedEx AsiaOne network to and from Japan, and more than 130 cities in northern and eastern China.

Additionally, the flight links key manufacturing regions in Germany into the FedEx global network, while other parts of Europe connect with the FedEx EuroOne network via the FedEx hub at Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris.

Benefits for customers and global trade include:

The doubling of air cargo capacity on westbound flights from Asia to Europe, with approximately 850,000 pounds of additional capacity available;

The extension of cut-off times for cities in eastern China by up to six hours, giving customers extended time in the day to coordinate business worldwide;

The simultaneous introduction of four weekly direct flights from Cologne, Germany to Memphis, which add a 20% increase in westbound trans-Atlantic capacity and provide more European cities with next day service to the U.S.;

Greater capacity on trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic routes, which encourages U.S. outbound and inbound trade and ensures that FedEx customers remain competitive in the global marketplace.

As of March 25, FedEx will have authority to operate 23 flights a week out of China -- more all-cargo flights to and from China than any other U.S. airline. Just last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation tentatively awarded FedEx three additional China flights, which would bring the total number of weekly FedEx China flights to 26 as of March 25, 2006.