(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-30 18:32

TIANJIN - Tianjin, the largest port city in North China, opened its first air cargo route to Europe as a Boeing 747-400 left for Amsterdam on Sunday.

The service will fly to Amsterdam three times a week and to Manchester via Amsterdam twice a week, said Chen Kaiping, the president of Great Wall Airlines, the joint venture cargo airline that is operating the route.

The service will help Binhai International Airport in Tianjin become North China's cargo hub, Chen said.

Great Wall Airlines was established by Beijing Aerospace Satellite Application Corp., Singapore Airlines Cargo and Dahlia Investments in 2005.