Air China returns to Novosibirsk in sign of cargo boost on European routings

Air China has earlier halted such flights in 2010, citing a decline in cargo volumes to European destinations. The new route goes through Shanghai-Chengdu-Novosibirsk-Amsterdam-Saragossa-Novosibirsk-Tianjin-Shanghai.

Flights are due three times a week on Boeing 747-400F aircraft increasing to six a week from September 8.

The move from Air China Cargo for a technical stop follows a 38 per cent increase in cargo and mail handled at Tolmachevo in Novosibirsk in the first six months of 2012. 

Other cargo carriers using the airport are  Aeroflot, AirBridgeCargo, Volga-Dnepr, Air Cargo Germany, and Cargolux.

Overall this year the airport is forecast to handle  more than 26,000 tons of cargo and mail.