Hungary Airlines set to move to the global market with second freighter!

Hungary Airlines’ new second freighter aircraft aims to significantly boost its presence in the international logistics sector. At the centre of the project is the partnership between Hungary Airlines and the Chinese logistics giant, ZTO Express.

Hungary Airlines moves to two-aircraft operations

Expanding the fleet marks a major milestone for Hungary Airlines. The airline currently operates a single Airbus A330-243F freighter on its regular Budapest–Zhengzhou route.

Thanks to the new partnership, a second aircraft will soon join the fleet: an Airbus A330-200P2F freighter. This is a converted passenger aircraft, optimised specifically for high-volume air cargo operations.

Significant cargo capacity coming online

With the second aircraft in service, Hungary Airlines will be able to operate five cargo flights per week between Hungary and China, with each flight carrying around 60 tonnes of freight.

This is particularly important for e-commerce, where fast and reliable delivery is essential. Such direct air connections can dramatically reduce transit times for goods travelling from Asian manufacturers to European markets.

Regular cargo flights are also expected to contribute to further growth in traffic at Budapest Airport.

Why ZTO Express is a key partner

The other central player in the partnership is ZTO Express, one of the world’s largest parcel delivery companies. Founded in 2002, the company quickly became a major force in China’s logistics sector.

It is a key player in the e-commerce supply chain, working with giants such as Alibaba and JD.com, which handle millions of orders daily and require an extensive logistics infrastructure.

Hungary Airlines’ involvement signals that ZTO Express aims to strengthen its European air transport network with reliable local partners.

What the CMI operating model entails

The collaboration operates under a CMI agreement, standing for Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance.

This means that Hungary Airlines is responsible for the aircraft’s full operational management: providing pilots and crew, maintaining the aircraft, and managing the necessary insurance.

Such arrangements are common in air cargo, allowing logistics companies to quickly scale their capacity without investing in their own operational infrastructure.

Strengthening Budapest’s role

The expansion also positions Budapest as an increasingly important hub for air cargo between Europe and Asia.

Cargo traffic at Budapest Airport has steadily grown in recent years, and regular flights to the Far East are expected to accelerate this trend further. If the project proves successful, Hungary Airlines could expand its operations further with additional partnerships and new routes in the future.

The airline has stated that, beyond successfully fulfilling the contract, it aims to play an increasingly prominent role in the international supply chain while continuing to develop its services and operational capacity.

Source: airportal.hu

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