Tunisia's flag carrier · headquartered in Tunis · Carthage International Airport hub. Belly capacity on passenger aircraft links North Africa with Europe and the Middle East and is a key connecting capacity for Chinese goods entering Tunisia, North Africa and West Africa through the hub.
Chinese-language service provider: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited We handle booking, customs clearance and end-to-end logistics for international air cargo, including routings from China to the United States and other major markets.
Tunisair (French name Société Tunisienne de l'Air, IATA two-letter code:TU, ICAO three-letter code:TAR) is the national flag carrier of Tunisia, founded in 1948, headquartered in the capital Tunis and hubbed at Tunis-Carthage International Airport (TUN). Majority state-owned by the Republic of Tunisia, Tunisair is the air bridge between Tunisia and Europe, Africa and the Middle East, one of the oldest airlines in North Africa and a member of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and IATA.
The network is built around Europe and Africa: in Europe it covers Paris, Frankfurt, London, Rome, Madrid, Brussels and other main cities, serving Tunisia's large diaspora and tourist traffic; in Africa it reaches North and West Africa, connecting Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire; in the Middle East it serves Cairo and Dubai, for about 40 destinations in total. The fleet is mainly Airbus A320 family including the A320neo, with A330-200 widebodies and Boeing 737-600s; A320neo and A320ceo aircraft have continued to arrive in recent years as the airline renews the fleet and builds out digital systems.
Tunisia sits in the centre of the Mediterranean and is a stepping stone for Chinese goods entering North and West African markets. As Tunisia's only flag carrier, Tunisair has the region's densest and most stable European network. Chinese exporters connecting at Istanbul, Dubai or Doha can use its belly network to distribute cargo onward across North and West Africa.
Cargo is marketed as Tunisair Cargo and relies on passenger belly capacity, carrying freight on scheduled European and African flights under air waybill prefix 199. Tunisair has no freighters, no route to China and no office in China; air freight from China to Tunisia and North Africa normally transits Istanbul, Dubai or Doha, and we can arrange interline solutions through those hubs.
| Airline | Tunisair (Tunisair Cargo) |
| Company type | National flag carrier (passengers and belly cargo) |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Global headquarters | Tunis |
| Operating hub | Tunis-Carthage International Airport (TUN) |
| Founded | 1948 |
| IATA two-letter code | TU |
| ICAO three-letter code | TAR |
| Air waybill prefix | 199 (per public AWB directory) |
| Official website | www.tunisair.com.tn |
| Fleet | Airbus A320 family (including neo), A330-200, Boeing 737-600 |
| China services | No direct route, no office in ChinaNone available |
A320 family belly space is carried on scheduled flights and suits small bulk consignments and express cargo on European and African routes.
The widebody belly has more volume and carries larger volumes on long-haul routes, raising capacity per flight.
A network of about 40 destinations focused on the Europe-North Africa-West Africa scheduled cargo corridor.
Tunis-Carthage International Airport is the operating hub, connecting the European and African markets.
Tunisair has no freighters and relies entirely on passenger belly capacity, so piece weight and dimensions are limited by hold doors and positions. There is no direct China-Tunisia flight, so cargo transits Istanbul, Dubai, Doha or another hub and total transit and cost depend on the specific plan. We build the full China-hub-Tunisia air chain.
On fit, belly capacity suits light, small and urgent cargo: e-commerce parcels, garment samples, electronic components, documents and contracts. Such consignments move on Tunisair's frequent European flights sooner than waiting for a freighter schedule, while large heavy shipments and out-of-gauge cargo do not suit belly holds and need a freighter or sea freight. The forwarder's job is to match the cargo to scheduled belly capacity or a dedicated freighter.
| Aircraft type | Number | Type | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320neo | 5 aircraft | Narrowbody passenger aircraft | New-generation mainstay, delivered through the 2020s |
| Airbus A320-200 | About 16 aircraft | Narrowbody passenger aircraft | Mainstay on European and African trunk routes |
| Airbus A319 | About 4 aircraft | Narrowbody passenger aircraft | Short and medium-haul routes |
| Airbus A330-200 | 2 aircraft | Widebody passenger aircraft | Long-haul routes with large belly capacity |
| Boeing 737-600 | About 7 aircraft | Narrowbody passenger aircraft | Short and medium-haul routes |
Note: fleet counts are compiled from public sources including A320neo/A320ceo deliveries in 2026 and are subject to the airline's latest publication; long-haul widebodies and trunk types are also deployed as needed.
| A320neo | New-generation narrowbody with lower fuel burn and longer range |
| A320-200 | Fleet mainstay on European and African routes |
| A330-200 | Widebody for long-haul routes and volume belly capacity |
| 737-600 | Boeing narrowbody supplementing short and medium-haul routes |
| Freight mode | Belly capacity across the passenger fleet (no freighters) |
The Airbus A320 family is the backbone of the fleet, covering the A320-200 and the new-generation A320neo. The A320 is one of the most successful single-aisle aircraft in the world, with a belly that takes air containers and bulk cargo, which makes it ideal for high-frequency routes between Europe and North Africa; the A320neo adds fuel efficiency, range and a better cabin, and Tunisair has taken further A320neo deliveries in recent years, with the fifth aircraft delivered in 2026 alongside A320ceo purchases to add capacity.
The Airbus A330-200 is the widebody, used on longer routes such as Dakar and Dubai; its belly volume is far larger than a narrowbody's and carries more cargo per flight, making it the heavy lifter for cargo. The Boeing 737-600 supplements short and medium-haul regional routes. Overall the fleet is built around high-frequency European trunk flying, so cargo naturally takes the form of scheduled belly capacity: capacity is steady but limited per shipment, which suits small and medium lots moving on schedule.
The renewal strategy is clear and pragmatic: the A320 family covers short and medium-haul work, the A330 covers long-haul, and older types are phased out. Deliveries of A320neo and A320ceo aircraft show a step-by-step replacement that avoids the operating strain of a single large fleet change. That measured approach leaves room on both the financial and operational sides and gives cargo customers more confidence in punctuality and service stability.
No direct route to China, no office in ChinaNone availableCargo from China must transit Istanbul, Dubai, Doha or another hub to reach Tunisia.
China-Tunisia cargo is usually carried by Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, Emirates via Dubai or Qatar Airways via Doha, with the Tunisian leg on Tunisair or a local carrier.
From the Carthage hub the airline reaches about 40 destinations in Europe (Paris, Frankfurt, London and others) and Africa (North and West Africa).
With no direct China route, cargo cannot fly on Tunisair straight from China.
Practical notes:Air freight from China to Tunisia leaves consolidation points such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen and transits Istanbul, Dubai or Doha, taking generally 4 to 8 days depending on connections and clearance. Tunisair works as onward capacity inside Tunisia or as a belly option on the Europe-Africa corridor. Tunisair does not cover China-US traffic either; for that use a trans-Pacific carrier such as Delta or United, which we can arrange as well.
Carthage is Tunisia's only national gateway, and Tunisair builds a dense Europe-North Africa network from it, so cargo can be distributed quickly to Tunisia and neighbouring markets.
As the national carrier its routes and schedules have government backing, it is the official air channel for Tunisian foreign trade and operations are stable.
The European network is dense and connects smoothly at hubs such as Paris and Frankfurt, giving cross-region cargo a European belly option.
The network reaches North and West African markets, which has real value for cargo entering emerging markets such as Algeria and Senegal.
A320neo deliveries continue, improving fuel efficiency and reliability, and belly service quality improves alongside the airline's digitalisation.
After transit at a Middle East or European hub, Chinese cargo can connect to Tunisair or local capacity for delivery inside Tunisia and on the African leg.
Tunisair's cargo is mainly belly capacity with limited volume per shipment and no direct China route; for regular cargo from China a forwarder will usually prefer all-the-way capacity on Turkish Airlines, Emirates or Qatar Airways, with Tunisair more of an option for the Tunisian leg.
On cooperation, Tunisair's European cargo offices such as the Frankfurt office can quote international cargo directly, so a shipper working through a forwarder to that office is a practical route; quotes come back quickly when commodity, weight and flight preference are provided.
| Official website | www.tunisair.com.tn |
| Head office | Tunis (Tunis-Carthage International Airport) |
| European cargo office | Frankfurt: cargo.fra@tunisair.de, phone +49 6927100115 |
| China contact | No office in ChinaNone available, bookings from China handled through a forwarder connection |
| Air waybill prefix | 199 (per public AWB directory) |
Note: Tunisair accepts cargo mainly within its European and African network and has no direct channel from China; booking through us combines the whole route and gives one point of tracking.
Between the Mediterranean and the Sahara, Tunisia has long been Europe's gateway into Africa. Tunisair's network has Europe as its northern wing and Africa as its southern wing: cargo from Europe lands at Carthage and moves south on African routes to Algeria, Morocco, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, while West African agricultural and marine products travel the same corridor north to Europe. For traders importing Chinese goods and distributing them into Africa, this corridor supports staged China-Europe-North Africa logistics.
Without freighters, Tunisair's cargo depends on the frequency of its European routes: Paris, Frankfurt and other trunk routes have several flights a day, so scheduled belly capacity means capacity whenever a flight operates, which is simple and reliable for small and medium lots with defined deadlines such as spares, garment samples and e-commerce restocking. The shipper delivers to the airport terminal on time and the cargo takes the next flight. Trading frequency for flexibility is the particular strength of belly cargo.
Tunisia is a major Mediterranean destination receiving millions of European visitors a year, and tourist traffic supports the density of the European network, while trade and investment with Europe and Africa drive business travel and cargo. This twin structure keeps European frequencies high year round and gives scheduled cargo a relatively steady base of space; space tightens in the peak tourist season, when shippers should book early.
Tunisair is steadily renewing the A320neo fleet and building out digital systems: the new type has more belly volume and payload than the aircraft it replaces and better dispatch reliability, so the loading ceiling and punctuality of scheduled cargo both improve. For shippers, fleet upgrades show up as steadier space, fewer delays and more per shipment, and choosing an airline in the middle of a renewal usually gives a good balance of service quality and cost.
Note: service information is compiled from the Tunisair website and public sources; capacity, rates and acceptable cargo types are subject to booking confirmation.
No. Tunisair has no direct route to China and no office in China; cargo from China to Tunisia transits Istanbul, Dubai, Doha or another hub.
No freighters. The fleet is all passenger aircraft (Airbus A320 family, A330-200, Boeing 737-600) and cargo moves in belly holds with limited volume per shipment.
From Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen via a Middle East or European hub, generally 4 to 8 days depending on connections and clearance; for time-sensitive cargo allow a larger connection buffer.
Tunisair cannot serve them. Its network is concentrated in Europe, Africa and the Middle East and does not cover the trans-Pacific; for China-US air freight use a major carrier such as Delta or United, and we can arrange the whole shipment.
Small and medium lots destined for Tunisia, North Africa and West Africa, plus express shipments and spares that fit scheduled capacity on the Europe-Africa corridor; for large heavy shipments assess a freighter or a sea freight combination.
We combine the whole route and book it under one instruction from China; after departure the air waybill number (prefix 199) can be tracked on the airline's website, and we also report status at loading, transit and arrival.
Cargo moves in passenger belly holds and is limited by hold door and floor dimensions, so oversize and over-length pieces are assessed per shipment; small and medium lots, express shipments and spares fit well. Provide piece count, weight and single-piece dimensions at booking and we check them against the aircraft's belly conditions.
The China export leg needs a commercial invoice, packing list and clearance documents, and the transit leg needs a transhipment declaration per the hub airport's rules; we list the full document set at booking so export and transit paperwork is complete before departure and nothing is missing at the hub.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, based in Shenzhen, China, handles international air freight from China to the United States and major markets worldwide. It arranges air freight to Tunisia and North Africa via hub connections, African market logistics planning and China-US mainline capacity, covering booking, clearance, air transport, customs and delivery. Cargo to Tunisia and North Africa transits Istanbul, Dubai and Doha hubs, and we prepare export and transit documents in one set; small and medium lots and spares are accepted per shipment against passenger belly conditions, and time-sensitive cargo should allow a connection buffer. Schedules change with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking. Plans and quotations are available on request.
Disclaimer: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.