Ningbo Airport Customs officers supervise the first batch of cross-border e-commerce export parcels under the air-to-air intermodal transport model. [Photo by Cui Qiaolei/Tide News]

A new air-to-air intermodal route linking Ningbo's cross-border e-commerce shipments with Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei province has begun operations, offering Chinese exporters a faster and more flexible gateway to global markets.

On April 11, a batch of footwear exported by e-commerce firms was cleared under customs supervision by Ningbo Airport Customs and prepared to depart on an early-morning flight operated by SF Airlines. The cargo will be transferred directly to Ezhou Huahu International Airport, a major emerging air freight hub in central China, before connecting to long-haul international routes bound for the United States. The shipment marks the official launch of Ningbo's cross-border e-commerce air-to-air intermodal express channel.

Unlike traditional logistics routes, the new model allows cargo to remain under continuous customs supervision while being transferred between airports, eliminating the need for repeated warehousing, re-declaration, and inspection procedures. This significantly streamlines the export process and reduces operational friction for businesses.

For local exporters, especially small and medium-sized e-commerce companies, the benefits are immediate. Industry operators say that peak-season capacity shortages on direct international flights and the need to route goods through multiple cities have long driven up both delivery times and logistics costs. The new corridor helps bypass these bottlenecks by leveraging Ezhou's expanding international air network.

The new system can cut clearance time by around 30 percent and reduce overall logistics costs by more than 20 percent, while improving shipment flexibility and reliability.

Officials from Ningbo Airport Customs said the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen multimodal logistics integration and improve cross-border trade efficiency, with further expansion of air freight channels planned to support the continued growth of Ningbo's export economy.