On September 19, Wenzhou Airport, in partnership with China Post Express and JD Airlines, officially inaugurated the Bangkok-Haikou-Wenzhou-Shenzhen cargo route, marking a fresh air freight corridor established under the airport's 2026 push for high-quality cargo development.
Operated by a Boeing 737-800 freighter, the route runs two weekly flights every Saturday and Sunday, arriving in Wenzhou at 21:15 and 01:55, respectively. The inaugural flight carried Thai durians, which cleared customs in Haikou before landing in Wenzhou for direct distribution to the Louqiao Fruit Wholesale Market, giving consumers in southern Zhejiang immediate access to high-quality imported fresh fruit. Outbound flights from Wenzhou simultaneously transport general cargo and e-commerce parcels to Shenzhen, establishing an aerial logistics corridor linking Southeast Asia, the Hainan Free Trade Port, southern Zhejiang, and the Greater Bay Area, and fostering a dual-flow model of fresh produce imports and outbound shipments.
Addressing the limitation that Wenzhou Airport currently lacks a fruit import port qualification, the airport devised an innovative logistics strategy. Leveraging Haikou's established designated supervision sites for imported fruit and free trade port infrastructure, it adopted a new cross-border fresh produce route: overseas harvesting, Haikou customs clearance, and Wenzhou distribution. Thai golden pillow durians are pre-cooled at the source, undergo full customs procedures in Haikou, and then fly directly to Wenzhou. Compared to traditional sea-plus-land transport, this method cuts overall transit time by over 70%, significantly reducing damage and flavor loss from multiple transfers, thereby preserving the fruit's natural freshness.
Upon arrival, the fresh fruit moves swiftly through the Louqiao market's distribution network to reach destinations across southern Zhejiang, resolving long-standing issues of extended supply chains, preservation difficulties, and delayed deliveries for imported durians, while enriching the region's premium fresh produce offerings.
To ensure smooth operations for the new route and perishable cargo, Wenzhou Airport's cargo terminal company planned ahead and coordinated closely with freight forwarders and airport security, mapping out the full perishables handling process and streamlining the inbound fresh produce workflow. Given the nighttime schedule, the airport implemented a dedicated support plan, allocating sufficient night-shift resources and precisely managing cargo reception, loading, and transfer handoffs. By segregating perishables, express parcels, and general cargo, the airport maintains meticulous ground support to ensure safe, punctual, and efficient flights, laying a solid foundation for the route's sustainable operation.
This all-cargo route represents a breakthrough for Wenzhou Airport in expanding its cargo network and tapping cross-border fresh produce sources, as well as a significant experiment in upgrading southern Zhejiang's fresh supply chain. With coordinated two-way cargo flows, inbound flights bring premium Southeast Asian produce, while outbound flights carry local e-commerce parcels and general goods, enabling mutual connectivity and accelerating the movement of Wenzhou products to the Greater Bay Area.
Looking ahead, Wenzhou Airport has ambitious plans for fresh produce aviation supply chains. In the next phase, it will strengthen routine ground support capabilities, refine cold-chain logistics systems, and explore additional cross-border perishable transshipment scenarios. With this "durian express route" as a springboard, the airport aims to continuously expand air channels for Southeast Asian specialty fruits and high-value perishables, improve the regional air logistics network, and bring more overseas premium fresh products to dining tables across southern Zhejiang. Simultaneously, it will support the export of local agricultural specialties via air cargo, enhance the city's openness and foreign trade growth, accelerate the Jinhua-Lishui-Wenzhou open corridor initiative, and empower regional commerce and fresh produce industry upgrades.