A Bahrain-registered all-cargo charter airline whose Boeing 737 freighter fleet provides third-party cargo charters and ACMI wet leases. It specialises in carrying oversized pieces, heavy cargo and special commodities on whole-aircraft missions, and can arrange charter capacity for Chinese exporters on demand.
| Country | Bahrain (Kingdom of Bahrain) |
| Head office and hubs | Bahrain International Airport (BAH) |
| IATA two-letter code | XL |
| ICAO three-letter code | XLR |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Business model | All-cargo charters · ACMI wet lease |
Texel Air (IATA two-letter code XL, ICAO three-letter code XLR) is an all-cargo charter airline registered in Bahrain, founded in 2013, operating from Bahrain International Airport and part of the Chisholm Enterprises group. It concentrates on third-party cargo charters and ACMI wet leases, meaning it leases aircraft together with crew, maintenance and insurance to clients, or flies whole-aircraft charters to client order. It runs no fixed passenger timetable.
The Texel Air fleet is built on the Boeing 737 freighter family. It was one of the first airlines in the Middle East to operate converted 737-800BCF freighters and also flies the unusual 737-700 FlexCombi combi. Outside Bahrain the company has a New Zealand subsidiary, Texel Air NZ, extending its network into Oceania. For Chinese shippers the value of Texel Air lies in the flexibility of charter capacity: when Chinese export cargo is oversized, overweight, dangerous goods or urgently needed as a whole-aircraft lift and scheduled belly space cannot take it, a charter can be arranged.
Texel Air's China business is mainly on-demand charter work. The company has no publicly announced scheduled cargo route to China and no directly owned office there; charter requirements inside China are assessed by us for feasibility and confirmed shipment by shipment. Charter plans are built around cargo characteristics, gateway and destination market, and capacity confirmation depends on the carrier's fleet availability at the time.
As a freight forwarder we assess charter transport against a complete set of checks: measured dimensions and weight of the cargo, aircraft loading conditions at both airports, route permits and seasonal weather are all weighed in the plan. Texel Air's fleet suits Chinese export demand for medium volumes, tight deadlines and unusual loading conditions, and its Bahrain base makes rotation into Middle Eastern markets convenient. Exporters facing a peak-season space shortfall or needing to move special commodities can put charters into the comparison as a firm capacity option.
China is one of the main export markets in global air freight, moving large volumes of electronics, machinery, cross-border e-commerce goods and industrial products. Scheduled belly space tightens in peak season, and oversized or special cargo cannot be loaded because of belly door dimensions. Charter transport fills both gaps: the shipper locks dedicated capacity for a whole aircraft, loading is tailored to the cargo, and the plan is not bound to a published schedule. Texel Air's 737 freighters are mostly narrowbody all-cargo aircraft, suited to consignments of five to just over twenty tonnes on a whole-aircraft basis, and are a capacity option Chinese exporters can assess for peak-season and special cargo demand.
Texel Air serves Chinese shippers through charters and ACMI capacity, suited to batch oversized cargo, whole-aircraft requirements and dedicated lifts of special commodities. Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight) handles the assessment, quotation and operational coordination of charter demand from China.
Texel Air website: texelair.com (plain domain, not a hyperlink). The airline is headquartered in Bahrain and handles cargo and charter business directly through its commercial team; there is no publicly announced directly owned office in China.
Charter requirements from Chinese exporters can be submitted to Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited for assessment; we coordinate capacity, pricing and operational arrangements with the Texel Air commercial team. Freight enquiries can also be submitted through our website goodhope86.com.
The Texel Air fleet is built around the Boeing 737 platform and covers pure freighters and combi aircraft, all operated on charter and ACMI work. The fleet numbers a few narrowbody freighters, registered in Bahrain and deployable to the points a client needs.
Converted all-cargo aircraft with more than twenty tonnes of main deck payload and a range above 2,000 nautical miles, widely used in the express and e-commerce market and suited to whole-aircraft lifts of general and e-commerce cargo from China.
A combi aircraft that can be switched between 24-seat all-passenger, 12-seat mixed passenger and cargo, and all-cargo configurations, with a hold that takes six to eight pallet positions, suited to charters needing a mix of passengers and freight.
A classic narrowbody freighter with a mature operating record and wide airport compatibility, used on charters and wet leases within a region and able to serve most airports equipped for freighters.
For charter work the aircraft choice follows cargo dimensions, weight and sector length: oversized and heavy pieces go to the 737-800BCF, which has the larger main deck door, while mixed passenger and cargo demand can use the FlexCombi. When a Chinese exporter settles a charter plan, we match the aircraft to the cargo parameters and confirm available capacity shipment by shipment.
From the point of view of a charter out of China, the main deck door dimensions and pallet positions of the 737-800BCF set the upper limit of what it can carry; batch e-commerce cargo, industrial goods and machinery parts can all be palletised or containerised for loading. The FlexCombi suits missions carrying people and material together, for example a Chinese company's engineering team travelling to a project site with its equipment. Final aircraft and configuration matching depends on the measured parameters of each shipment and fleet status at the time.
Texel Air has no publicly announced scheduled cargo flights to China; its China business is mainly on-demand charter. Charter flights can depart from Chinese gateway airports equipped to handle freighters, with the actual point set by cargo location and fleet deployment.
| Service format | Suitable cases | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full-aircraft charter | Volume or special cargo | The aircraft is loaded at a Chinese gateway and flies direct to the destination airport, suited to large consignments, tight deadlines or cargo needing dedicated loading conditions. |
| ACMI wet lease | Long-term capacity needs | The aircraft is leased with crew to a carrier client, suited to Chinese freight companies or airlines with capacity needs on fixed routes. |
| Departure from multiple gateways | Cargo consolidated before loading | Cargo from inland China can be consolidated at a main gateway airport and then loaded, with the charter route planned around actual demand. |
Charter capacity and the departure gateway are both confirmed shipment by shipment, subject to the carrier's fleet availability and route approval at the time.
Major Chinese gateway airports can handle freighter movements and ground support. The choice of charter departure point weighs how easily cargo can be consolidated, how quickly customs works at the gateway and how the fleet can be positioned. We recommend the most suitable gateway for the region where the cargo sits and coordinate domestic consolidation, so goods scattered across several places are loaded together at the gateway and ground waiting costs are reduced.
Charter declaration and operation require flight permits and freighter slots on the route concerned. At the planning stage we confirm the permit status of the route with the carrier so the charter plan can be executed. Long cross-region charters may also need technical stops for fuel and crew rest, and those points are listed in the plan.
When choosing a charter, Chinese exporters also need to consider freighter handling at the destination airport: runway length, loading equipment and clearance efficiency all affect overall transit time. We help shippers verify destination airport conditions and, where handling is inadequate, plan road haulage or an alternative nearby airport in advance.
Oversized equipment, overweight cargo, vehicles and machinery, dangerous goods, live animals and urgent time-critical shipments are the typical charter categories. When scheduled flights cannot meet the transport conditions, Chinese exporters can assess a charter.
We submit the charter requirement by commodity, weight, volume, gateway and destination market; the carrier confirms fleet availability and route and issues a plan and quotation; once confirmed, loading and operations are arranged.
Texel Air's charter and wet-lease business is based in the Middle East, and its fleet can be positioned from Bahrain to points in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. Its New Zealand subsidiary, Texel Air NZ, separately operates 737 freighters in Oceania on express and cargo routes between Australia and New Zealand. For Chinese exporters, charter destinations are not limited by a scheduled network: aircraft can fly direct from a Chinese gateway to Middle Eastern airports, or be planned to Africa, Europe or via other transit points as required.
The value of charter transport is directness and dedication: cargo flies from a Chinese gateway to the destination airport on one aircraft without scheduled transhipment, and transit time and loading conditions are tailored entirely to the shipper's needs. For oversized pieces, dangerous goods and other cargo that scheduled flights struggle to accept, a charter is the most certain method. Routes and prices are assessed per shipment, and capacity confirmation depends on the carrier's fleet availability at the time.
For Chinese exporters the core of charter planning is building the route around the cargo: the shipper states the destination airport and deadline, and the carrier and we plan the routing, technical stops and ground support from there. Unlike the fixed network of scheduled services, a charter route can be adjusted for season and cargo flow, and volume demand towards the Middle East and Africa in peak season can be met with firm capacity through charters.
A charter positioned through the Bahrain base can also link several missions in the Middle East: after the one-way China to destination market flight, the aircraft can take return or onward cargo, cutting the cost of repositioning. For Chinese exporters this means the quotation for a one-way charter is more transparent, and the overall plan can be assembled in stages to match actual needs.
The charter is loaded at a Chinese gateway and flies direct to the destination airport without scheduled transhipment, giving the shortest transit time and suiting urgent volume and special cargo. Whole-aircraft loading removes split shipments and transit handling, so transit time is essentially the flight itself and the plan is more predictable.
The main deck door and pallet positions of the 737-800BCF take oversized and overweight pieces, with loading tailored to the cargo parameters and beyond the size and weight limits of scheduled belly space. Pallet positions are laid out to the cargo parameters, and heavy pieces are loaded with specialised handling equipment.
Dangerous goods, live animals, valuables and emergency supplies can be given dedicated loading and full operational supervision on a charter, with acceptance subject to the carrier's rules at the time. Special commodities such as dangerous goods and live animals obtain more complete loading conditions and operational support under a charter.
A charter route is not bound by a scheduled network and can be planned from a Chinese gateway to airports in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and elsewhere to match a shipper's multi-market needs. The same consignment can be planned as a direct or a technical-stop routing, combined flexibly by destination and deadline, and peak capacity is locked more reliably.
Charter booking works on per-shipment assessment. After a Chinese exporter submits requirements, we assess the cargo parameters, confirm fleet availability with the carrier and issue a plan and quotation; once both sides confirm, loading and departure follow.
A charter quotation covers the sector charge, ground support, customs declaration and destination handling as separate items, itemised at quotation stage to avoid disputes over extra costs after departure. For planned volume shipments we can help the shipper and carrier set up a long-term charter framework, confirmed on a rolling monthly basis to stabilise peak-season capacity.
Charter booking is time-sensitive: fleet positioning and route permits need lead time, so urgent requirements should be submitted with cargo parameters as early as possible. We start the assessment the day a requirement arrives and, where necessary, request quotes from several charter carriers at once to give the shipper a side-by-side comparison of capacity and price.
| Step | Content |
|---|---|
| Step one | Give us the commodity, weight, volume, packaging type, gateway and destination airport, together with deadline and loading requirements. |
| Step two | We assess charter feasibility, confirm fleet availability, route permits and rates with Texel Air, and issue a charter plan. |
| Step three | On confirmation we arrange domestic consolidation or delivery at the gateway, export clearance and loading; the aircraft flies direct to the destination airport. |
| Step four | Destination clearance and delivery are connected, and we track and report each milestone to the shipper. |
For clients with capacity needs on fixed routes, 737 freighters are leased together with crew, suited to Chinese freight companies and airlines supplementing capacity for a period. Wet leases are priced by flight hour or by the month, with crew, maintenance and insurance carried by the carrier, leaving the client to focus on route operation and sales.
One aircraft can carry passengers and cargo at the same time, suited to missions moving people and material together, and the configuration can be switched within a short cycle. A Chinese company's engineering team travelling with its equipment reduces the coordination cost of arranging people and freight separately.
The 737-800BCF is a common type in the express and e-commerce market and can offer whole-aircraft or large-consignment space for cross-border e-commerce volume. When e-commerce volumes concentrate in peak season, a charter moves a batch to the destination market in one lift and shortens the replenishment cycle.
Before loading, the cargo is measured and a load plan drawn up to confirm pallet position allocation and centre of gravity data. We help the shipper assemble the loading documents to avoid reworking at the aircraft.
Charter export clearance follows the same process as scheduled flights, with documents prepared to destination requirements. Where special cargo needs permits or quarantine, we start the formalities at booking stage.
Freighter stands, loading equipment and refuelling at the departure gateway must be confirmed in advance; we complete ground arrangements before loading so the charter departs on time.
During the charter we track departure, technical stops, landing and unloading at each milestone, and report exceptions to the shipper at once with a proposed solution.
There are no publicly announced scheduled cargo routes or directly owned offices. Its China business is mainly on-demand charter, with capacity confirmed shipment by shipment and the gateway and destination planned around the cargo.
Send us the commodity, weight, volume, gateway and destination airport; we confirm fleet availability and rates with the carrier, issue a charter plan and arrange the subsequent operations.
The fleet is built on the Boeing 737 platform and includes 737-800BCF freighters, 737-700 FlexCombi combi aircraft and 737-300F freighters, all operated on charter and ACMI work.
Oversized equipment, overweight cargo, vehicles and machinery, dangerous goods, live animals and urgent time-critical shipments. Cargo that scheduled belly space cannot load or deliver on time can be assessed for a charter.
Charter flights can leave from Chinese gateway airports equipped to handle freighters, with the actual gateway set by cargo location and fleet deployment; we help assess the most suitable departure point.
Charter rates are assessed per shipment on sector length, aircraft type, cargo parameters and market supply and demand; we quote once fleet availability is confirmed. Volume or long-term requirements can be negotiated on agreement rates.
Chinese freight companies or airlines with capacity needs on fixed routes and fixed schedules, supplementing their own fleet by wet lease while the carrier operates the flights as agreed.
Above five tonnes, or where cargo is oversized or overweight or the deadline and loading conditions are demanding, a charter is more certain; routine small shipments remain more economical in scheduled belly space. We can compare both options against the cargo parameters.
A charter plan needs cargo assessment, fleet confirmation and route permits. Routine requirements can be confirmed within a few working days, and urgent ones can be assessed faster. The actual period depends on the carrier and route conditions.
Loading and unloading on a whole-aircraft charter is concentrated, pallets are secured and the hold environment follows the load plan, and cargo stays loaded from the point of loading until unloading at destination, with few handling steps in between, so damage risk is generally manageable. We also help the shipper arrange air cargo insurance.
Texel Air provides third-party charters and ACMI wet leases from its Bahrain base with a Boeing 737 freighter fleet, giving Chinese exporters firm capacity with direct lifts and tailored loading. For oversized pieces, dangerous goods and volume shipments, we handle assessment, quotation and operational coordination, plan the gateway and destination airport around the shipper's needs, track every milestone and report transparently; the final plan is subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight) assesses and arranges Texel Air charter and ACMI capacity for oversized pieces, dangerous goods and volume shipments.
Visit goodhope86.com for air freight optionsDisclaimer: prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight) to describe Texel Air's publicly available charter capacity. The content is compiled from public sources and is for reference only; it does not constitute a transport contract or commitment. Rights in the Texel Air name, codes and brand marks belong to their owners. The company is an independently operated freight forwarder with no subordinate, agency or investment relationship with Texel Air; charter capacity and rates are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.