Taiwan’s China Airlines has been named the 2022 "Best Cargo Airline - Asia" by the magazine Air Cargo News. International recognition of China Airlines' expertise in freight was reinforced by the renewal of the IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) certification.
The Air Cargo News Awards are hosted every year in Europe by Air Cargo News magazine. Awards are based on votes from freight forwarders and supply chain agents as well as scores given by industry experts. The award is often considered the Oscar of air cargo. This year, China Airlines emerged from over a hundred airlines worldwide to win the "Best Cargo Airline - Asia" award.
China Airlines entered the pharmaceutical cold-chain logistics market in 2013. The carrier pioneered the use of active temperature-controlled containers in 2014 and became the first Taiwanese airline to receive CEIV Pharma certification from the IATA. The recent re-certified of CEIV Pharma certification demonstrated the quality and reliability of the carrier's cold chain logistics. Large volumes of epidemic prevention supplies have been transported by China Airlines since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the shipping of face masks, RAT kits, and more than 110 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine between Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania. The carrier maintained its commitment to providing high-quality pharmaceutical transportation services, demonstrating that not even the pandemic could deter its pursuit of exceptional service.
As a pioneer of Taiwan's air cargo market, China Airlines has extensive experience transporting special cargo such as precious relics, precision instruments, vehicles, large machinery, aerospace materials, artworks and live animals. Well-known local and foreign companies have all made China Airlines their preferred carrier for the transportation and transit of instruments and machinery. China Airlines quickly adopted a "prioritize cargo" business strategy during the pandemic to make the most use of freighter capacity. The belly cargo holds of passenger aircraft were utilized and assisted in delivering outstanding results for cargo in 2021. China Airlines has won Air Cargo World's Air Cargo Excellence Award, Air Cargo Executive of the Year Award, and other international awards in past years.
China Airlines continues to expand its cargo network and now operates freighter services to 35 destinations worldwide. Its passenger aircraft and freighters carried more than 1.775 million tonnes of cargo around the world in 2021. The next-generation 777F freighter is now entering service with four aircraft delivered. The 777F freighter fleet will eventually grow to include ten aircraft as China Airlines continues to optimize its fleet and develop new strategies. The push for greater sustainability in the post-pandemic age aligns with market trends and operational requirements.