Korean Air Cargo will launch a weekly Sunday service from Halifax Stanfield International Airport to Incheon on a Boeing 777F.
Beginning May 25, the carrier expects to uplift a minimum of 40,000 kilograms (88,184 kilograms) of live lobster, with an estimated CA$580,000 (US$532,256) export value to the Canadian province. The service will continue every Sunday until the end of August.
“This is the first same plane direct service to a major Asian hub, Incheon,” said Joyce Carter, Halifax International Airport Authority president and CEO. “It’s fast, even with a tech stop for fuel in Anchorage. The total elapsed time from wheels up at Halifax to landing in Seoul is less than 14 hours. This is fantastic for fresh seafood and in particular for the ever increasing Asian appetite for live lobster.”
Operating out of Gateway Facilities, the flight will arrive in Halifax from Toronto and depart for Incheon. It will stop for fuel in Anchorage. The airline has operated cargo flights at Halifax Stanfield in the past on a charter basis, primarily in December.
“This type of increased lift capacity directly into Asia is good news for all participants in the live lobster sector from harvesters to live shipping companies,” said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada. “The runway extension at Halifax Stanfield Airport was an important step in allowing this type of aircraft to call on Halifax, and we applaud the team at Korean Air Cargo for making the decision to come and hope that live shippers will use the service.”