United Parcel Service (UPS), the world's largest express carrier
and package delivery company, celebrated the maiden voyage of its
first cargo aircraft directly flying to China at an inaugural
ceremony Friday at Ontario International Airport, California.
Starting April 1, UPS will have six weekly flights between the
United States and China using Boeing 747 aircraft, directly
servicing Beijing and Shanghai. Four weekly flights originate in
Ontario and the other two in Newark, New Jersey.
The company's flight to China departs just two months after the
United States Department of Transportation awarded the company the
highly sought-after rights to operate direct air service from the
US to China.
Friday's celebration was held in front of the aircraft, UPS China
Express decorated with a red-and-yellow dragon. Speaking at the
ceremony, UPS chairman and CEO Jim Kelly said "this first flight is
an important event not just for UPS, but for worldwide trade as
whole."
"UPS expects continued strong and robust growth in China," Kelly
said. "We take a long-term approach to any expansion and believe
the opportunity in China is great enough to overcome any business
cycle."
Currently UPS serves China through Hong Kong. But the company has
been operational in China since 1988 through its agreement with
Sinotrans, its partner in China.
According to UPS, direct flight between the two countries will cut
the time in transit to just two days for express delivery to and
from major commercial centers in China, and only one day for
document delivery to Beijing.
UPS estimates the direct China service will represent US$100
million in new revenue in its first year of operation.
(People's Daily 03/31/2001)