SF Airlines launched a new international air cargo route on Monday, linking Ezhou Huahu Airport in central China's Hubei Province with the Hungarian capital of Budapest.

The Ezhou-Budapest cargo route is the first air cargo route linking Hungary with Ezhou Huahu Airport, China's first cargo-focused airport. It is also SF Airlines' third route from this airport to Europe.

Chinese state media, Xinhua, said the service will be operated by a B747-400 freighter; one round-trip flight is scheduled on this route every week, providing more than 200 tonnes of air-cargo delivery capacity per week.

"This direct air route will mainly serve parcel express, and e-commerce goods, among others," the announcement said, adding that it will expand channels for air logistics between the two countries and boost China-Europe economic exchanges.

The Ezhou Huahu Airport, which began operations in July 2022, is a cargo-focused hub airport with extensive cargo traffic and some passenger traffic.

In April 2023, it opened its first international cargo route carried by SF Airlines.

Headquartered in Shenzhen, SF Airlines is China's largest air cargo carrier in fleet size.

The cargo carrier said that to date, it has cultivated an international route network from Ezhou to destinations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia.