Part of ASL Aviation Holdings · UK-registered cargo airline
A British cargo airline within ASL Aviation Holdings, one of Europe's leading air cargo groups, with more than 50 years of operating history and a group network of over 160 freighters, offering scheduled air freight from China to Europe, the United States and major world markets.
ASL Airlines United Kingdom(ASL Airlines UK) is aASL Aviation Holdings(ASL Aviation Holdings) company, a UK-registered cargo airline operating fromEast Midlands Airport(East Midlands Airport, EMA). The airline2021obtained its air operator certificate (AOC) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), the first cargo airline to receive a fixed-wing AOC after Brexit.
ASL Airlines UK currently operatesATR 72-500FandBoeing 737-800BCFtwo aircraft types as freighters, flying UK domestic and UK to continental Europe scheduled cargo routes. More importantly, ASL Airlines UK shares common operating standards and support services withASL Airlines Ireland(ASL Airlines Ireland) and is a key part of the ASL group's global operating network.
ASL Aviation Holdings is headquartered inDublinIreland and is a leading global aviation services company. The group's history goes back to1970Safair Freighters, founded in South Africa, and to1972Air Bridge Carriers (ABC), founded in the United Kingdom, giving more than 50 years of cargo operating experience. The group now owns 8 airlines in Ireland, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Thailand and South Africa, manages more than 160 aircraft and serves over 150 airports worldwide.
ASL is one of the world's largest ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) wet-lease cargo operators and has long supplied capacity toFedEx, DHL, UPS and Amazon Airand other top express and logistics integrators. Group airlines fly extensive cargo networks for these customers across Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. In cargo aviation ASL is known for on-time delivery and operational flexibility, and it is a critical link in the global air cargo supply chain.
| Airline name | ASL Airlines United Kingdom |
| Chinese name | ASL Airlines UK |
| Parent company | ASL Aviation Holdings |
| Group headquarters | Dublin, Ireland |
| UK operating base | East Midlands Airport (EMA) |
| UK founded | 2021 |
| Group origins | 1970 |
| Group IATA codes | 5O(Air France) /3V(Belgium) |
| ICAO code | FPO |
| AWB prefix | 558(France) /756(Belgium) |
| UK operating types | ATR 72-500F, B737-800BCF |
| Group employees | 3,000+ (57 nationalities) |
| Group website | aslaviationholdings.com |
| UK website | aslairlines.co.uk |
As an airline set up in 2021, ASL Airlines UK does not yet hold its own IATA airline code. Within the ASL group the subsidiaries operate under separate codes:ASL Airlines FranceOperates5O;ASL Airlines BelgiumOperates3V. China routes are flown mainly by ASL Airlines Belgium (3V), whose AWB prefix is756.
The ASL group ICAO code isFPO(inherited from predecessor Europe Airpost) and is used across air traffic control, flight planning and other technical services. ASL Airlines UK uses the group radio callsign standard, which keeps passage through European airspace efficient.
The air waybill (AWB) prefix for ASL Airlines France is558; the AWB prefix for ASL Airlines Belgium is756. Cargo flying from China on ASL-operated freighters usually carries an AWB beginning756(issued by the Belgian subsidiary). For example: 756-XXXXXXXX. The number can be used to track the shipment end to end.
ASL Aviation Holdings (formerly ASL Aviation Group) was formallyestablished in 2008, but its operating history goes back to1970. The group is headquartered in Swords, Dublin, Ireland, and is one of the world's largest ACMI cargo providers. In 2017 group revenue passedUSD 1 billionfor the first time. Since its acquisition by US-based Star Capital Partners LLC in 2019 it has continued to expand quickly.
Base: Dublin · about 36 aircraft · Types: B737-800F, B737-400F, ATR 72, A300-600F, A330 · Customers: FedEx, DHL, Amazon Air · 50+ destinations
Base: Liege Airport · Types: B737-400F, B737-800F, B747-400ERF ·operates China routes (Jinan, Ezhou, Ningbo and others to Liege)· core carrier for the FedEx European network
Base: Paris CDG · Type: B737-800F · core carrier for La Poste air transport · European and North African routes · also operates passenger charters
Base: East Midlands Airport · Types: ATR 72-500F, B737-800BCF · UK domestic and UK to Europe cargo · founded 2021, the first fixed-wing cargo airline to obtain an AOC after Brexit
Joint venture · Base: Bangkok · Type: B737-800BCF · flies intra-Asian cargo routes linking Southeast Asia with China and other markets
Associate · Base: Johannesburg · leader in the South African domestic passenger market · 50 percent market share
Important note:ASL Airlines UK is itself a relatively small British regional cargo airline, flying mainly UK domestic and short UK to Europe routes. The ASL group's international air freight business from China is operated mainly byASL Airlines Belgium (3V)andASL Airlines Ireland. If cargo needs to move from China to the United States or Europe on the ASL group network, the operating carrier is usually ASL Airlines Belgium or ASL Airlines Ireland, on AWBs using the 3V or 5O code.
| Aircraft type | Group total | Maximum payload | Maximum range | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 747-400ERF | 5 aircraft | 117 tonnes | 8,250 km | Intercontinental trunk routes (heavy cargo China to US / Europe) |
| Airbus A330-300P2F | 3 aircraft | 62 tonnes | 5,926 km | Long-haul intercontinental cargo (contract operations for DHL and others) |
| Airbus A330-200F | Being added | 61 tonnes | 7,400 km | Long-haul cargo (joining the fleet 2025-2026) |
| Airbus A300-600F | 4 aircraft | 48 tonnes | 7,408 km | Long-haul regional cargo |
| Airbus A321-200F | Being added | 27 tonnes | 3,519 km | Medium-haul cargo (joining the group fleet) |
| Boeing 737-800BCF | 44 aircraft | 22 tonnes | 3,750 km | Medium-haul trunk routes (core type on the European network and China routes) |
| Boeing 737-400F | 40+ aircraft | 19 tonnes | 3,000 km | Regional short and medium haul (mainstay of the FedEx European network) |
| ATR 72-500F / 600F | 13 aircraft | 8 tonnes | 1,528 km | Short-haul feeder cargo and the FedEx connection network |
The Boeing 747-400ERF is the giant of the ASL group fleet. This four-engine long-haul widebody freighter has a maximum payload of up to117 tonnes, with a range of up to8,250 km, and the main deck takes very long and very wide items. It is the ideal type for long-haul China to US and Europe routes, carrying about 190 tonnes per rotation including the return load. ASL Airlines Belgium flies B747-400ERFs on the Jinan to New York to Liege round-the-world routing, an important source of heavy lift capacity between China, the United States and Europe. In 2026 ASL acquired 2 more B747-400ERFs, adding further long-haul capacity.
The Boeing 737-800BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter) is the most numerous type in the ASL group, with about 44 in service, making it theworld's largest B737-800BCF operator. Maximum payload is22 tonnes, range3,750 km, and the main deck holds 11 ABY containers or 11 standard 125 by 88 inch pallets, with the lower hold taking a further 43.7 cubic meters of loose cargo. The B737-800BCF is the main type on ASL's medium-haul China to Europe routes, feeding the long-haul B747 sectors, and it is also the type ASL Airlines UK has flown since 2023 (registration G-OHJK), operating five days a week on UK and European routes.
The Airbus A330-300P2F is a next-generation twin-engine long-haul widebody converted from passenger aircraft; the ASL group operates 3 with more conversions on order. Maximum payload is62 tonnes, range5,926 km, the main deck holds 26 standard pallets and the lower hold 11 LD3 containers (or 32 LD3). Against comparable four-engine freighters such as the B747 the A330-300P2F has a clear fuel efficiency advantage and is part of ASL's green aviation strategy, well suited to express and e-commerce traffic and to medium-tonnage medium and long-haul work.
The ATR 72 turboprop freighters are the core of the ASL group's short-haul feeder network. ASL was the first airline in the world to operate the purpose-built ATR 72-600F freighter. Maximum payload is8 tonnes, range1,528 km, and the type can use short runways and airports with limited infrastructure. ATR 72F aircraft mainly serve the FedEx Express European and UK feeder network, moving cargo from regional airports to large hubs for connection. ASL Airlines UK currently flies ATR 72-500F aircraft on the daily East Midlands to Belfast cargo service.
Operating base:East Midlands Airport, United Kingdom
Email:info@aslairlines.ie
Group head office:Swords, Dublin, Ireland
Group website:www.aslaviationholdings.com
UK website:aslairlines.co.uk
Base:Liege Airport, Belgium (LGG)
Email:infoaslb@aslairlines.com
Website:www.aslairlines.be
Chinese destinations:Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport, Ezhou Huahu International Airport, Ningbo Lishe International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Nanchang Changbei International Airport and others
As a British regional cargo airline, ASL Airlines UK has no sales or cargo office of its own in China. If cargo needs to move from China on the ASL group network, contact the group's local Chinese forwarding partners, or book throughGoodhope Logistics (China) Limited. As the customer's local forwarder we can approach the relevant ASL group airlines for capacity and rates and handle the whole process from pickup and declaration to loading and export.
The ASL group, mainly through ASL Airlines Belgium, runs scheduled cargo routes from several Chinese international airports to Europe and North America
ASL Airlines Belgium, the group's main operating entity in the Chinese market, has opened scheduled or charter cargo routes atJinan, Ezhou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanchangand other Chinese international airports. The routes link mainly toLiege Airport(LGG) in Belgium, the group's European core hub, and to the United StatesNew Yorkand other North American destinations. These routes form the core network for Chinese customers and give Chinese exporters an air cargo channel to Europe and North America.
| China airports | IATA | Route direction | Frequency | Aircraft operated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport | TNA | Jinan to New York to Liege to Jinan (round-the-world routing) | 2 flights per week | B747-400ERF |
| Ezhou Huahu International Airport | EHU | Liege to Ezhou | Weekly scheduled service (opened 2025) | B737-800BCF / B747 |
| Ningbo Lishe International Airport | NGB | Ningbo to Liege to Ningbo | 3 flights a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) | B747-400ERF |
| Shanghai Pudong International Airport | PVG | Shanghai to Liege / European hubs | Scheduled charter flights | B737-800BCF / B747 |
| Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport | HGH | Hangzhou to Liege | Scheduled flight | B737-800BCF |
| Nanchang Changbei International Airport | KHN | Nanchang to Liege | Scheduled flight | B737-800BCF |
Route information above is compiled from public sources; flight numbers, slot times and frequency may change with seasonal adjustments and operating requirements. ASL Airlines UK's own routes within the UK (East Midlands to Belfast and others) are purely domestic and do not involve departures from China. International cargo shipped from China on the ASL group network is operated by ASL Airlines Belgium. For current flight information and capacity, contact Goodhope Freight.
This is a flagship route for ASL Airlines Belgium andthe first round-the-world intercontinental route from Jinan using fifth-freedom traffic rights, and alsothe first round-the-world intercontinental service in Shandong province. It links Jinan in China, New York in the United States and Liege in Belgium, flown with B747-400ERF aircraft twice a week at about 190 tonnes per rotation. As of September 2024 the route had run steadily for more than 6 years, with over 1,000 flights operated, more than 130,000 tonnes carried and an average load factor above 90 percent.
In 2025 ASL Airlines Belgium opened a scheduled cargo route from Liege in Belgium to China.Ezhou Huahu International AirportEzhou Huahu Airport, China's first purpose-built cargo airport, opened in 2022 and is the Chinese terminal for the route. The launch extends the group network into a Chinese inland cargo hub and serves exporters in central China more efficiently, strengthening ASL's coverage of that market.
In 2024 ASL Airlines Belgium made history asthe first Belgian airline to operate nonstop China to United States routes. With a round-the-world routing pattern, ASL Belgium completes a full cargo loop from China via the United States to Europe. The milestone reflects the group's capability on both transatlantic and transpacific cargo routes.
In January 2026 the all-cargo route from Ningbo to Liege in Belgium resumed, operated by ASL Airlines Belgium with B747-400ERF aircraft three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Exports are mainly East and South China products such as electronic housings and apparel, and imports are mainly European goods such as health supplements. The relaunch runs general cargo and e-commerce cargo together, easing the shortage of Europe-bound capacity in the Yangtze River Delta.
Europe is the group's core market. With Liege as the European hub, ASL's B737 freighter network covers more than 30 European airports and B747 long-haul freighters link China to major European cargo hubs. Liege is one of Europe's largest cargo hubs, with efficient distribution into Germany, France, the Netherlands and neighboring countries.
ASL Airlines Belgium flies a nonstop cargo route from China to New York in the United States on a round-the-world pattern with B747-400ERF aircraft. Cargo from China can reach the US East Coast direct from gateways such as Jinan and Ningbo and then connect through Liege to points across Europe. The group also has operating nodes at several North American hubs, giving flexible transatlantic cargo service.
Through its joint venture K-Mile Asia in Thailand the group flies intra-Asian cargo routes covering the main Southeast Asian markets. Chinese exports can connect through Asian hubs such as Bangkok for regional distribution. ASL Airlines Ireland also flies long-haul routes linking Asia and North America.
ASL has worked in air cargo since the 1970s and its airlines have operated safely for more than half a century. ASL Airlines Ireland holds IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) registration, one of the highest standards in global aviation safety management. That depth of experience supports the safety and reliability of cargo in transit.
Unlike airlines that depend on passenger belly space, the ASL group operates freighters. Freighters offer more loading space and higher payload, particularly for large, heavy or irregularly shaped cargo. A single B747-400ERF carries 117 tonnes, meeting bulk export demand. Even in peak season freighters keep capacity supply stable.
ASL Airlines Belgium pioneered the Jinan to New York to Liege round-the-world service, completing a full chain from China to the United States and on to Europe in one flight. The pattern raises aircraft utilization and gives customers more flexible multi-market delivery options.
As a specialist ACMI operator ASL is highly flexible: it can move aircraft, adjust routes and change frequency quickly with demand. That lets it offer capacity at competitive cost, which particularly suits rate-sensitive bulk commodity exports and China-Europe trade customers.
Liege in Belgium is one of Europe's most important cargo logistics hubs. ASL Airlines Belgium is based at Liege Airport with comprehensive ground handling facilities. Cargo arriving from China can be distributed efficiently across Europe on ASL's European B737 narrowbody freighter network, or move into the European hinterland by road and rail from Liege.
The group is modernizing the fleet and pursuing a green aviation strategy. The new B737-800BCF and A330P2F freighters cut carbon emissions per unit significantly, and the A330P2F uses about 20 percent less fuel than comparable four-engine freighters. For exporters tracking ESG compliance and carbon footprint, the ASL group is the lower-emission air option.
The group has long supplied capacity to top express and e-commerce logistics providers including FedEx, DHL, UPS and Amazon Air. Its narrowbody freighter network (B737-400F/800BCF) runs an express network of more than 30 destinations in Europe for FedEx Express. Chinese cross-border e-commerce parcels can reach European consumer markets efficiently on ASL routes. Cargo on the Jinan and Ningbo routes already runs general and e-commerce freight together, which shows the group's capability in e-commerce logistics.
Imports on the Jinan to Liege route include large volumes of fresh produce and health supplements, evidence that the group handles perishables well. Freighter transport avoids the temperature swings and loading delays of passenger bellies, which suits temperature-sensitive imported food, flowers and pharmaceuticals. ASL's cargo facilities at Liege and Paris CDG have temperature-controlled storage areas, keeping cargo in a suitable temperature range during ground handling.
ASL Airlines UK states on its charter service pages that it hasexperience in dangerous goods and high-value cargo. The group holds IATA dangerous goods qualifications and can carry lithium battery products, chemicals, magnetic materials and other regulated cargo compliantly. For Chinese exporters shipping lithium-battery electronics or chemical samples, the group offers a compliant and reliable solution.
The ASL group is a leading global provider of ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) wet lease. For companies with special requirements, such as oversized equipment exports, exhibition freight, urgent replenishment or a route outside the network, ASL can provide a tailored charter. Charters can draw on B747, B737 or ATR freighters as the requirement dictates, with flight coordination and monitoring throughout. For large equipment and special cargo from China we assess charter and wet-lease options and then arrange the movement.
ASL Airlines Belgium holds fifth-freedom rights at Jinan, which means its flights can load cargo in China for a third country (the United States) and also load in the United States for Europe. Fifth freedom is among the most commercially valuable traffic rights in international air transport, and ASL is one of the few foreign cargo airlines holding it in China, giving Chinese exporters more flexible routing options.
In 2022 the group completed the acquisition of the X-air Services maintenance organization, now renamed ASL Maintenance, based at Brussels and Liege airports in Belgium. In-house maintenance keeps fleet availability and dispatch reliability high, cutting the risk of delay or cancellation for maintenance, and giving customers more reliable transport. For Chinese exporters, high fleet availability means fewer cancellations and delays and a more predictable shipping plan.
ASL Airlines UKCargo space with ASL Airlines UK and its sister airlines in the ASL group is booked from China mainly throughAuthorised freight agentAllocate and book space.Goodhope Logistics (China) LimitedGoodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight), a professional international freight forwarder based in Shenzhen, China, able to approach the relevant ASL group airlines and provide international air freight booking from China to Europe, the United States and other destinations.
ASL Airlines UK has not set up an office of its own in China, but Goodhope Freight can use its working relationship with the ASL group to arrange capacity for customers on the China to Europe and China to US routes operated by ASL Airlines Belgium (3V). Our team knows ASL's cargo handling rules and AWB requirements and can complete the whole process efficiently, from cargo preparation and export declaration to loading and departure.
If cargo needs to move from China to Europe or the United States on the ASL group network, contact Goodhope Freight for an air freight quote.
Company name:
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited
Goodhope Freight
Website:
goodhopefreight.com
goodhope86.com
Location:
Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Provide the cargo details and receive an ASL routing quote
Confirm rate and service, then approach ASL for space
Arrange pickup or delivery to the nominated consolidation warehouse
Complete export declaration and load on the ASL flight
Track the shipment in real time through the ASL system
Customs clearance at destination and delivery to the consignee
Goodhope Freight, your booking agent for ASL capacity, with door-to-door international air freight from pickup to delivery
Visit our website or contact usASL Airlines UK is the group's UK-registered subsidiary, flying mainly UK domestic and short UK to Europe cargo routes with ATR 72 and B737-800BCF aircraft. ASL Airlines Belgium (IATA code 3V) is the entity that operates the China routes, using B747 and B737 aircraft on scheduled cargo flights from Jinan, Ningbo, Ezhou and other Chinese airports to Liege in Belgium. For cargo from China to the United States or Europe the operating carrier is ASL Airlines Belgium (3V). Goodhope Freight can approach ASL Belgium and arrange capacity for the customer.
ASL Airlines Belgium's nonstop freighter from China (Jinan or Ningbo) to Liege in Belgium has a block time of about 11-13 hours. Adding pre-flight consolidation and declaration and post-arrival clearance and distribution, total transit is usually 5-8 working days, depending on origin city, destination city and clearance speed. The round-the-world routing (Jinan to New York to Liege) takes longer overall but links three markets, China, the United States and Europe, in one movement.
An ASL Airlines Belgium air waybill (AWB) number begins with756followed by 8 digits, for example 756-XXXXXXXX. Enter the number on the cargo tracking page of the ASL Belgium website for live tracking. ASL Airlines France AWBs begin with558. If the booking is made through Goodhope Freight we supply the AWB number and tracking information after departure.
ASL, through ASL Belgium, carries many cargo types, including cross-border e-commerce parcels, garments and textiles, electronics, household goods, machinery, auto parts, health supplements, fresh food and chemical samples. The B747-400ERF's very high payload particularly suits bulk heavy exports. ASL also holds dangerous goods qualifications and can carry lithium-battery electronics. Contact Goodhope Freight for an assessment of a specific cargo.
ASL Airlines Belgium currently serves these Chinese airports:Jinan(TNA),Ningbo(NGB),Ezhou(EHU),Shanghai Pudong(PVG),Hangzhou(HGH),Nanchang(KHN) and others. Jinan and Ningbo are the main scheduled cargo gateways. For cargo in other Chinese cities, Goodhope Freight can arrange domestic transport to consolidate at one of these gateways and then book the ASL international flight.
Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners, and our company has no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with the airlines described. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent at the time of booking.