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Yemenia (IATA: IY) is the national airline of the Republic of Yemen. Through its Sana'a and Aden hubs and a network spanning the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe, Goodhope Freight connects Chinese exporters to Yemen and the wider region.
Key facts about Yemenia and its cargo proposition for shippers in China.
Yemenia representation in mainland China.
Operating fleet and belly-cargo capability. (As of 2025, Yemenia operates a passenger fleet with belly cargo capacity; no dedicated freighters are currently in service.)
| Aircraft | Type | In service | Max belly cargo* | Typical routes | Cargo advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | Narrowbody jet | 4 | ~3–5 t [To be confirmed] | Sana'a/Aden – Dubai, Cairo, Riyadh, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Mumbai | Primary cargo lift for regional and medium-haul routes; reliable belly capacity for general cargo, e-commerce and time-sensitive shipments. |
| Historical fleet (not current) | Various | — | — | — | Yemenia previously operated Boeing 737-200C freighters, Boeing 727-200, Boeing 747SP, Ilyushin Il-76 freighters and Dash 8 aircraft. These are no longer in active service. |
* Cargo figures are approximate for the aircraft type and should be verified with the airline. Please consult your local agent for confirmed uplift limits. Yemenia has placed orders for A320neo and A321neo aircraft, with deliveries scheduled from 2031.
Yemenia services to and from mainland China.
For reference, Yemenia's current network (belly cargo available on all services) includes the following key destinations:
| Route | Frequency (indicative) | Market / gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Sana'a (SAH) ⇄ Dubai (DXB) | Multiple weekly | UAE hub — key connection point for China cargo |
| Aden (ADE) ⇄ Dubai (DXB) | Weekly | UAE hub |
| Sana'a (SAH) ⇄ Cairo (CAI) | Multiple weekly | Egypt — North Africa gateway |
| Sana'a (SAH) ⇄ Riyadh (RUH) | Multiple weekly | Saudi Arabia |
| Sana'a (SAH) ⇄ Jeddah (JED) | Multiple weekly | Saudi Arabia — Hajj/Umrah cargo |
| Sana'a (SAH) ⇄ Amman (AMM) | Regular | Jordan |
| Sana'a (SAH) ⇄ Kuala Lumpur (KUL) | 2× weekly | Malaysia — Southeast Asia gateway |
| Sana'a (SAH) ⇄ Jakarta (CGK) | 2× weekly | Indonesia |
| Sana'a (SAH) ⇄ Mumbai (BOM) | Regular | India |
Please consult your local agent for the latest schedule and confirmed frequencies.
Destinations reachable from China through the Yemenia network (via interline partners).
Because Yemenia does not currently serve China with its own aircraft, cargo from China typically travels on a partner carrier to a Middle Eastern hub (Dubai or Doha), then continues on Yemenia metal to Yemen and other regional destinations. The countries and territories reached through the Yemenia network include:
Recommended China routing: Shanghai / Guangzhou / Shenzhen → Dubai (DXB) or Doha (DOH) → Sana'a / Aden (Yemenia). Exact routing, carriers and transit points are per shipment — please consult your local agent for the latest schedule.
Why Chinese exporters use Yemenia (via Middle Eastern hubs) for Yemen-bound cargo.
For Chinese manufacturers and traders, Yemenia offers a specialised, regionally focused air freight solution into Yemen and the wider Arabian Peninsula — a market where geopolitical realities have made direct shipping increasingly complex, but where demand for Chinese goods remains strong. Although Yemenia does not yet fly its own aircraft to China, its established presence at Middle Eastern hubs (particularly Dubai) turns that gap into a practical routing advantage: cargo can be tendered to partner carriers at major Chinese gateways and carried on a single through air waybill to Dubai, then seamlessly connected onto Yemenia flights into Sana'a or Aden and onward to secondary points within Yemen. Shippers benefit from one booking, one document chain and one liability framework instead of stitching together separate legs.
Yemen itself presents a strategically important but challenging market for Chinese exports. As a country with significant reconstruction and humanitarian needs, there is steady demand for construction materials, machinery spares, medical supplies, foodstuffs and consumer goods — shipments that are often urgent and difficult to send by sea within a practical lead time, particularly given the security situation in the Red Sea. Yemenia's Airbus A320-200 fleet provides the regional jet lift needed to move such goods quickly from the Dubai hub into Sana'a and Aden, while the airline's established handling capabilities for dangerous goods, perishables, live animals and fresh produce give shippers access to a wider range of cargo types than many regional competitors.
On cost, routing via Dubai typically offers a competitive alternative to all-the-way long-haul products, because the China–Middle East trunk is well-served by high-frequency carriers and the final Yemen leg is handled on Yemenia's regional aircraft with lower operating costs than wide-body freighters. Goodhope Freight consolidates and negotiates on the China side, so exporters benefit from consolidated rates, predictable departures and local Chinese-language support. For special cargo, Yemenia's cargo warehouse and operational support capabilities provide the infrastructure needed for temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals and perishables, and urgent humanitarian or reconstruction supplies can be prioritised on the earliest available connection.
In short, Yemenia gives Chinese shippers a safe, well-managed and competitively priced path to Yemen and the surrounding region — combining the reliability of Middle Eastern hub connectivity with Yemenia's local access to the Yemeni market that Chinese exporters increasingly serve.
How to book Yemenia cargo space from mainland China through Goodhope Freight.
How Yemenia's hubs and cargo capabilities create value for freight from China.
Yemenia is built around two well-positioned hubs: Sana'a International Airport (SAH) — the primary hub and headquarters — and Aden International Airport (ADE) in the south. From these hubs, the airline stitches together Yemen's domestic demand centres with key international gateways across the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. That shape matters for cargo, because it lets a single import into Dubai connect to Sana'a or Aden and then distribute to multiple Yemeni points within hours, and lets exports from Yemen reach regional markets without re-consolidation.
The airline's cargo division, Yemenia Cargo, offers a range of specialised services that are particularly relevant to shippers from China. Yemenia has qualified staff to handle dangerous goods, perishables, live animals, fresh and frozen fish, fruits and vegetables— capabilities that are essential for Chinese exporters of foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and specialised industrial goods. The airline also provides equipped cargo warehouse facilities, clearance support, packing services and online tracking & tracing.
For specialised cargo, several options are relevant. Temperature-controlled and perishable goods can leverage the cargo handling infrastructure available at both Sana'a and Aden, as well as at the Dubai hub where China-origin cargo typically connects. Mining and reconstruction project cargo — a growing segment of Yemeni demand — benefits from the airline's regional lift and Goodhope's experience with heavy, awkward and urgent shipments; where scheduled belly capacity is insufficient, ad-hoc charter or full-charter arrangements can be explored through the airline or its partners.
Looking ahead, Yemenia has placed orders for Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft, scheduled for delivery from 2031, which would expand both cargo capacity and network coverage. The airline also has preliminary orders for Airbus A350-800 aircraft, signalling a long-term commitment to fleet renewal and network expansion. Until those are confirmed, shippers should treat current fleet, routes and any charter/dangerous-goods acceptance as subject to operational availability and verify with Goodhope Freight or the airline before tendering specialised shipments. With a dual-hub structure, a Middle Eastern network and a clear distribution footprint inside Yemen, Yemenia is a pragmatic, specialised choice for Chinese exporters targeting the Yemeni market.