SHANGHAI, Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, the all-cargo "Cold Chain Express" aircraft CK292 of China Eastern Air Logistics carried 88.75 tons of fresh cherries from Chile to China. After a brief stopover, the aircraft touched down at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, completing the journey in just 24 hours and setting another record for Chilean cherry imports to China. This milestone also marks the official launch of China Eastern Air Logistics' dedicated cherry charter program for the new cherry season.
A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.
With the new Chilean cherry season now underway, China Eastern Air Logistics has officially launched its dedicated cherry transport operations. Even before this milestone, the company had already airlifted more than 1,100 tons of in-season cherries to several ports of entry across China, including Ezhou, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Shenzhen, Hefei, Ningbo and Hong Kong, using externally chartered freighters and other channels. The deployment of its own charter flights further enhances China Eastern Air Logistics' self-operated capacity, reinforcing its competitive edge in the express delivery service for fresh produce.
For the new cherry season, China Eastern Air Logistics, through its subsidiary China Eastern Cold Chain, deployed its own capacity while integrating freighter resources from nine leading global airlines to build a high-frequency, high-density "flight wave system." In addition, the company has strategically scheduled externally chartered flights to land at multiple ports of entry and worked closely with domestic "fresh produce hubs," such as Chengdu, Ezhou, and Ningbo. Together, these efforts form a fully integrated fresh express system, spanning intercontinental direct flights, port-of-entry processing, and warehouse distribution. The system delivers on the promise of "Fresh within 48 Hours," ensuring Chilean cherries travel seamlessly from orchards abroad straight to Chinese consumers' tables.
Building on this foundation, China Eastern Cold Chain is leveraging digital tools, such as the "Dongdongce" temperature monitoring system and the "Feilaixian" intelligent dispatch platform. These technologies jointly enabled end-to-end, transparent management of Chilean cherries, covering every stage from harvesting and pre-cooling to international transport, customs clearance, and final distribution. Thanks to this integrated approach, consumers across China can enjoy fresher, higher-quality imported cherries at more affordable prices.
Chile was the first South American country to sign a free trade agreement with China and has maintained close agricultural ties with us for more than a decade, consistently ranking as the leading source of China's cherry imports. China Eastern Air Logistics is among the earliest domestic aviation companies to import cherries via chartered air freight, and for 12 consecutive years it has remained the country's largest carrier and importer of Chilean airlifted cherries. By offering diversified logistics solutions, including sea-air intermodal transport, full-plane air-to-air transport, whole-aircraft air-to-air transshipment and transshipment via European hubs, China Eastern Air Logistics has further expanded its reach, integrating Southeast Asia and other markets into the global distribution network for fresh Chilean produce.
From the exhibition halls of the China International Import Expo to the dining tables of families across China, China Eastern Air Logistics is steadily strengthening its global fresh supply chain capabilities. In doing so, it is contributing to the new dual-circulation development paradigm, linking domestic and international markets, and supporting Shanghai's growth as an international shipping hub. These efforts are turning the vision of "Linking the World with China, Connecting China to the World" into concrete actions.
Looking ahead, China Eastern Air Logistics will continue to refine its operational model of "bulk ordering, batch shipping; worldwide reach within three days." With broader coverage, faster delivery, and more consistent quality, the company will ensure that this "winter sweetness" that is flown across half the globe will become a seasonal delight for even more households in China and beyond.
Source: China Eastern Air Logistics
