Doha, Qatar — September 11, 2025
Qatar Airways Cargo is quietly reshaping its network. On Thursday, the airline confirmed it will run more freighter flights for Cainiao, Alibaba’s logistics arm, moving parcels between China and Doha with onward connections to Europe and Africa.
“This isn’t a side business anymore,” said a company source in Doha. “Most of the growth we see is parcels, small boxes, e-commerce. We need capacity built just for that.”
Volumes that don’t stop
Cainiao has been pressing airlines for tighter schedules. Chinese sellers want to cut delivery times into Europe from ten days to five, sometimes less. Forwarders in Guangzhou say charter slots are already filling weeks ahead of time. “General cargo waits. E-commerce doesn’t,” one freight forwarder told us.
Why it matters now
For Qatar Airways, the expansion means guaranteed lift in the run-up to the holiday peak. For Cainiao, it locks in a partner with reach across three continents. The Doha hub, sitting between Asia and Europe, is becoming a pivot point for online retail.
What’s next
Extra flights will start in the coming weeks. Insiders expect more frequencies before November as sellers prepare for Singles’ Day and Christmas. If the model works, other carriers may follow — dedicating more aircraft to parcel corridors rather than mixed freight.
