China Southern opens cargo drop-off station at Atlanta airport for shipments to China

China's largest airline, China Southern Airlines, said Thursday that it had opened a new cargo drop-off station at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport that would offer second-day freight service to China.

The airline said that the new Atlanta drop-off station is one in addition to China Southern's New York City cargo drop-off station at JFK International Airport.

To make the China Southern Airlines Boeing 747-400 flights from Chicago to Shanghai or Shenzhen, China, every Wednesday, Friday or Sunday, shipments must be dropped off before 6:00 p.m. one day before flights departure (Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday), the airline said.

China Southern said that ground handling would be managed by China Southern's partner, Alliance Airlines (www.allianceairlines.com) at Hartsfield, 4500 ASR Road.

All China-bound cargo will be trucked from Atlanta to Chicago for eastbound flights to Shanghai or Shenzhen. The airline said that there are no restrictions on cargo being shipped to China and nearly all oversize shipments will be accepted.

For more information, call the China Southern Airlines cargo office in Chicago before sending shipments to the new Atlanta drop-off station. The number is 773-601-8800, toll free at 888-212-0833 or via fax at 773-601-8866.

Shippers must provide the following information: ASB#, pieces, total gross weight, dimensions, departure date, final-destination location and agent-contact information.

China Southern Airlines cargo customers can track the status of shipments from Atlanta by logging onto the Alliance Airlines website at www.allianceairlines.com.

With contribution from Michael Lear-Olimpi, Managing Editor, Logistics Online. Reach him at mlear-olimpi@verticalnet.com.

Source: China Southern Airlines