First Cargolux flight from Shenzhen arrives in Budapest

BUDAPEST, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The first Cargolux freighter from Shenzhen Airport in southern China arrived in the Hungarian capital, Budapest Airport said in a statement on Friday.

Cargolux, one of the largest cargo airlines in the world, has launched a direct cargo flight on the Shenzhen-Budapest route. The Boeing 747-400F aircraft landed on Friday afternoon, and was greeted with a water cannon salute on the apron of BUD Cargo City, the airport's new logistics center, according to the statement.

"The new aerial connection is an important milestone, as a significant proportion of the e-commerce goods originating from China arrive in central and eastern Europe from the catchment area of Shenzhen," the statement said, adding that the new route would see planes commute once a week.

Budapest Airport also noted that "The launch of the new flight could help create new economic and business relations between the central and eastern European region and China."

"We are delighted about the launch of this new Cargolux Shenzhen-Budapest flight, as it is a direct aerial connection that not only provides a huge advantage for companies in Hungary and central and eastern Europe, but also an opportunity for Budapest Airport to play a leading role in the logistics supply of the region -- in e-commerce as well, amongst other things. The launch of this new route clearly shows that BUD Cargo City is performing well in these challenging times," commented Rolf Schnitzler, CEO of Budapest Airport.