A Belarusian cargo carrier that began as an air cargo sales organisation set up in 2000 and was reorganised into an airline with an operating certificate in 2002 after a state tender, headquartered and based at Minsk National Airport. It flies international freight with Ilyushin Il-76TD heavy four-engine freighters and Antonov An-12BP turboprop freighters, and public sources list services covering Belarus as well as Africa, Asia and Europe. The airline publishes no scheduled route to China and no office of its own there; cargo from China can connect through a third country into Minsk, with Goodhope coordinating the whole plan.
Chinese-language service provider: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, handling booking, customs declaration and end-to-end logistics for international air freight, on routes from China to the United States and all major continents.
Ruby Star Airways (ICAO three-letter code: RSB, callsign RUBYSTAR) is a Belarusian cargo carrier headquartered in Minsk and based at Minsk National Airport. Its predecessor handled transport agency work in the Belarusian market from 1997 and became an air cargo sales organisation in 2000; in 2002, after qualifying in a state tender, it was reorganised into an airline licensed for scheduled freight, scheduled passenger and charter operations. On 19 September 2002 ICAO assigned the airline the three-letter code RSB. Public sources list no IATA two-letter code for the airline, which is identified by the ICAO code RSB.
The airline's business is air cargo, flying from its Minsk hub on services inside Belarus and across regions. Public sources list coverage of Belarus as well as Africa, Asia and Europe, with a fleet of Ilyushin Il-76TD heavy four-engine freighters and Antonov An-12BP turboprop freighters for intercontinental and short to medium sectors respectively. Aircraft used earlier in its history include the Boeing 747-400BDSF widebody freighter and the An-24 and An-26, all now out of the fleet.
On China, public sources list no scheduled freighter route and no office of its own in the country. Both the Il-76TD and the An-12BP can operate at airports with limited runway conditions and the airline's reach covers Asia, so cargo from China can connect through a third country into Minsk and then distribute to Belarus and neighbouring countries. For shipments originating in China, Goodhope coordinates the connecting route and capacity. Note also that public sources list the airline and its director as added to the US Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals list on 9 August 2024, and the related restrictions may affect routing, settlement and insurance; confirmation on the day of booking governs.
| Airline | Ruby Star Airways |
| Company type | Cargo carrier |
| Country | Belarus |
| Global headquarters | Minsk, Belarus |
| Hub airport | Minsk National Airport (MSQ / UMMS) |
| Obtained carrier certification | 2002, with the predecessor dating from 1997 and 2000 |
| IATA two-letter code | No public information availableNot disclosed |
| ICAO three-letter code | RSB |
| Call sign | RUBYSTAR |
| Official lookup website | rubystar.by |
| Cargo aircraft | 2 Il-76TD freighters 1 An-12BP freighter |
| China services | No scheduled cargo route or directly owned office publicly listed |
The information above is compiled from public sources. Fleet composition and operating scope may change to meet operational needs; the carrier's latest published data takes precedence.
The Il-76TD is a four-engine heavy freighter with loading access at both nose and tail, suited to construction machinery, complete plant and bulk general cargo on intercontinental and regional sectors.
The An-12BP is a four-engine turboprop freighter that can operate at airports with limited runway conditions, suited to short and medium sectors and regional distribution.
Full-aircraft charters and one-way or round-trip non-scheduled flights can be arranged on request, suited to project cargo, seasonal batch shipments and movements with tight deadlines.
The airline publishes no scheduled route to China, so cargo from China can connect through a third country into Minsk, with Goodhope designing the connecting routing around the origin and delivery date.
Capacity structure: the airline's capacity is concentrated in heavy four-engine freighters and turboprop freighters, the fleet is small, and what one flight can take is limited, which suits full charters and concentrated bulk shipments. There is no direct capacity from China, so anyone planning to use the airline for Chinese cargo must fix the connecting airport, the connecting sectors and the expected dwell time at booking, with the forwarder calculating end-to-end transit time and rate.
The Ruby Star Airways fleet consists of Il-76TD and An-12BP freighters, a small fleet split by sector length. The Il-76TD is a four-engine heavy transport with loading equipment in the hold; published reference figures show about 45 tonnes of payload and about 210 cubic metres of hold space, suited to bulk and out-of-gauge cargo on intercontinental and regional sectors. The An-12BP is a four-engine turboprop freighter loaded through a rear cargo door, relatively tolerant of runway conditions and suited to short and medium sectors and smaller airports. Aircraft used earlier in its history include the Boeing 747-400BDSF widebody freighter and the An-24 and An-26, all now out of the fleet.
| Aircraft type | Number | Category | Legs operated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il-76TD | 2 aircraft | Four-engine heavy freighter | Intercontinental and regional freight services |
| An-12BP | 1 aircraft | Four-engine turboprop freighter | Short and medium sectors, smaller airports |
| Boeing 747-400BDSF (historical) | 1 aircraft | Widebody freighter | Retired from the active fleet |
| An-12 (historical) | 4 aircraft | Four-engine turboprop freighter | Retired from the active fleet |
The table is compiled from public sources. Payload and volume figures are public reference values; technical data and per-aircraft capability follow the carrier's published operating specifications.
| Heavy four-engine freighter | Intercontinental and regional sectors, bulk cargo and out-of-gauge pieces |
| Turboprop freighter | Short and medium sectors, smaller airports and shorter runways |
| Loading method | The heavy type has a nose door and on-board loading equipment |
| Fleet size | 3 freighters in service, limited capacity per flight |
| Direct capacity from China | No scheduled freighter route published |
| Specifications | Subject to the operating specifications published by the carrier |
The chart shows fleet size as listed in public sources at different dates. Fleet size and composition change with operating needs, and actual available capacity is subject to the carrier's confirmation on the day of booking.
Public sources list no scheduled freighter route to China and no office of the airline in the country.No direct capacityChinese cargo can depart from gateways such as Beijing and Shanghai and connect to Minsk via a third country.
Minsk National Airport is the operating base; the airport has customs and border agencies and connects to ground distribution and transhipment in Belarus and neighbouring countries.
Public sources list services covering Belarus as well as Africa, Asia and Europe, organised as charters and non-scheduled flights with destinations set for each movement.
| Route (indicative direction) | Airport code | Service type | Schedule notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing, China–Minsk | PEK / MSQ | Connection via a third-country transit point | No published scheduled nonstop route data at present |
| Shanghai, China–Minsk | PVG / MSQ | Connection via a third-country transit point | No published scheduled nonstop route data at present |
| Guangzhou, China to Minsk | CAN / MSQ | Connection via a third-country transit point | No published scheduled nonstop route data at present |
| Minsk to Europe | MSQ | Scheduled and non-scheduled cargo | Directions listed in published sources |
| Minsk–Asia | MSQ | Scheduled and non-scheduled cargo | Directions listed in published sources |
| Minsk–Africa | MSQ | Scheduled and non-scheduled cargo | Directions listed in published sources |
Route details are compiled from public sources. No direct route to China is publicly documented, so the China sectors in the table are indicative connections. Schedules, stops and capacity are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.
The airline has no direct capacity from China, so cargo must leave a Chinese gateway, connect through a third country to a Ruby Star Airways flight into Minsk and then distribute to Belarus and neighbouring countries. End-to-end transit time on that path depends on the China departure leg, the connecting dwell and the following sectors, so it should be calculated in full before booking. Both the Il-76TD and the An-12BP can operate at airports with limited runway conditions, which gives good adaptability for distribution beyond Minsk.
Operational note:For shipments from China to the United States and Europe, Goodhope matches capacity with the appropriate mainline carriers. Where the final destination is Belarus or a neighbouring country, Goodhope compares the third-country connection against direct service with another carrier and quotes accordingly.
| Company address | Minsk, Belarus |
| Operating base | Minsk National Airport (MSQ / UMMS) |
| Official website | rubystar.by |
| ICAO three-letter code | RSB (callsign RUBYSTAR) |
| IATA two-letter code | No public information available |
| Own office in China | No directly owned office in China is publicly listedMust go through an agent |
| China booking contact | Contact its local agent in China, or ask us to arrange the introductionCan connect to |
| Information note | Contact details and office arrangements may change; check the carrier's latest publication before shipping |
The fleet is small and there is no direct capacity from China, so the core of a booking is designing the connecting routing and calculating end-to-end transit time. A forwarder familiar with the China to Belarus flow can reduce the number of parties involved and the risk of re-routing; the main benefits are as follows.
The Il-76TD loads through a nose door with on-board loading equipment; published reference figures show about 45 tonnes of payload and about 210 cubic metres of hold space, suited to construction machinery and complete plant.
Both the Il-76TD and the An-12BP can operate at airports with limited runway conditions, which gives good adaptability for regional legs and distribution beyond Minsk.
Full-aircraft charters and one-way or round-trip non-scheduled flights can be arranged on request, suited to project cargo, seasonal batch shipments and movements with tight deadlines.
Public sources list services covering Belarus as well as Africa, Asia and Europe, which offers a routing option for multi-directional movements based on a Belarus hub.
No scheduled route to China and no office thereTransit required, so Chinese cargo must connect through a third country and total transit time is longer than on a direct route.
Public sources list 3 freighters in service, so capacity per flight is limited. The airline and its director were added to the US Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals list in August 2024, and the related restrictions may affect routing, settlement and insurance.
Where it fits: the airline's capacity suits full charters, project materials and out-of-gauge pieces destined for Belarus and neighbouring countries. For general cargo from a Chinese gateway with a firm delivery date, Goodhope usually has another carrier fly the main sectors and uses this capacity for regional distribution beyond Minsk, pricing each sector separately.
Cargo from Chinese gateways such as Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou can connect through a third country into Minsk and then distribute to Belarus and neighbouring countries. The choice of connecting route has to weigh the transhipment conditions, dwell time and document requirements at the connecting airport, and Goodhope sets out the carrier, estimated transit time and cost components for each sector in the plan.
The Il-76TD's cross-section and loading method suit large and out-of-gauge pieces, while the An-12BP suits smaller distribution lots to airports with limited facilities. For out-of-gauge pieces, dimensions, weight and centre of gravity must be provided at booking so that the carrier can approve the loading and securing plan and confirm acceptance.
No IATA two-letter code is published for the airline, so business with the carrier is checked against the ICAO three-letter code RSB and the callsign RUBYSTAR. The way the air waybill is completed must be confirmed with the carrier at booking, to avoid the documents being rejected for a mismatched carrier identifier.
The airline and its director were added to the US Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals list in August 2024, and Belarusian licensed carriers have been barred from European Union airspace since 2024. These restrictions may affect routing choices, settlement arrangements and insurance terms, and should be checked at the booking stage and again against the carrier's latest publication before handover.
Ruby Star Airways is a Belarusian cargo carrier that began as an air cargo sales organisation set up in 2000, was reorganised into an airline with an operating certificate in 2002 and is based at Minsk National Airport; it does not sell scheduled passenger services to the public.
The airline's ICAO three-letter code is RSB and the callsign is RUBYSTAR. Public sources list no IATA two-letter code, and the carrier is identified by the ICAO code RSB. How the air waybill is completed must be confirmed with the carrier at booking.
Public sources list no scheduled freighter route to China and no office of the airline in the country. Cargo from China can leave gateways such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and connect through a third country into Minsk.
No schedule data for China is publicly listed and there is no fixed schedule. Where transport from China is organized as a full-aircraft charter, the schedule and aircraft are set for each movement and confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.
Public sources list an in-service fleet of two Il-76TD and one An-12BP. The Il-76TD flies intercontinental and regional freight services and the An-12BP covers short and medium sectors and smaller airports. The Boeing 747-400BDSF and four An-12 aircraft used earlier are out of the fleet.
Cargo arriving at Minsk can connect to the airline's onward sectors to Europe, Africa and Asia and can be distributed by road within Belarus and to neighbouring countries. For shipments from China to the United States and Europe, Goodhope matches other carriers.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, based in Shenzhen, China, specialises in international air freight from China to the United States and major markets worldwide. It can design routings that connect Chinese origin cargo to Ruby Star Airways through a third country for destinations in Belarus and neighbouring countries, and arrange customs clearance, pickup and inland distribution at Minsk, covering quoting, customs declaration, air freight, clearance and delivery. Transport plans and rates are available on request.
Disclaimer:Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes, trademarks and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners. We are an independent international freight forwarder and have no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with this airline. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a service commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent on the day of booking.