ECONOMYNEXT – China’s SF Airways has launched direct flights from Kunming to Colombo to function a scheduled all-cargo service to Colombo aiming at offering strong logistics assist for China-Sri Lanka commerce, regional financial development and the Belt and Street Initiative (BRI), the Airways mentioned.
The primary SF flight reached Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike Worldwide Airport (BIA) on Thursday (26), marking the official launch of the “Kunming-Colombo” worldwide cargo route in a brand new milestone in SF Airways’ growth into the South Asian market.
Kunming is the trendy capital metropolis and transportation hub of China’s southern Yunnan province.
The “Kunming-Colombo” route will function twice weekly, operated by B757-200F freighters, with a weekly cargo capability exceeding 110 metric tons.
“Main exports embrace electronics, equipment components, textiles, cross-border e-commerce parcels, and contemporary flowers,” the Airways mentioned.
Key imports embrace Sri Lankan Ceylon tea, spices, and different specialty agricultural merchandise, together with Indian electronics and Maldivian seafood transshipped by way of Colombo.
“As China’s gateway to South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean Rim—and a significant superior manufacturing hub in western China—Kunming has vibrant cross-border logistics,” SF Airways mentioned.
“Colombo, strategically positioned on key Indian Ocean transport lanes, is Sri Lanka’s largest metropolis and industrial heart, dubbed the “Crossroads of the East” for its connectivity to Southeast Asian, South Asian, and Center Japanese markets.”
“This new route establishes an environment friendly, steady air logistics hall for China-Sri Lanka commerce, boosting regional financial cooperation and industrial integration. It can entice world enterprises to Kunming, supporting town’s improvement as a home circulation hub and dual-circulation gateway.”
The route additional advances Yunnan’s aviation economic system ecosystem, strengthens its aviation provide chain, and deepens its integration into the BRI as China’s financial hub going through South and Southeast Asia,” it mentioned.
SF Airways has expanded its South Asian community lately, serving Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Amritsar (India); Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi (Pakistan); Dhaka (Bangladesh); and Kathmandu (Nepal).
“This new service strengthens our partnership and can play an important position in advancing Sri Lanka’s air cargo trade and regional connectivity,” Harsha Abeywickrema, Chairman of Airport and Aviation Companies (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Restricted (AASL), mentioned. (Colombo/June 27/2025)
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