Tasman Cargo Airlines (HJ, Sydney Kingsford Smith) has applied to Australia's International Air Services Commission (IASC) for the rights to operate five weekly frequencies between Sydney Kingsford Smith and Hong Kong International.
In an application letter dated August 16, 2023, Tasman Cargo says it would like permission to start on or before the commencement of the IATA 2023/24 winter season on October 29. The airline intends to operate this service on a wet lease basis until it can fly under its own air operator's certificate and in compliance with the air services agreement between Australia and Hong Kong.
Tasman Cargo has proposed using either a B767-300F or a B767-300ER(BDSF), offering a payload capacity of approximately 54 metric tonnes per flight. ch-aviation fleets data shows Tasman Cargo operates two B767-300Fs and has wet-leased in a B767-300BDSF from DHL Air (D0, Nottingham East Midlands). Tasman Cargo says it will maintain and sell all available capacity.
The wet-leased B767-300ER(BDSF) is registered as G-DHLL (msn 28040), and is flying up to three daily sectors on the Melbourne Tullamarine - Singapore Changi city pair, while the two B767-300Fs, VH-EXZ (msn 37808) and VH-XQU (msn 37806), primarily fly between Australia's east coast capitals and Auckland International for and on behalf of DHL.
"Tasman Cargo Airlines has in the past applied for and was awarded frequency rights to operate on HKG but had to rescind them due to Covid-19 restrictions at the time," CEO Kim Rasmussen wrote in the application letter sighted by ch-aviation. "We are now in a position to raise this request again and start operating as soon as all approvals are in place. We believe that Tasman Cargo Airlines can service this market effectively for the mutual benefit of all parties sourcing air capacity on these sectors." Rasmussen declined to comment further to ch-aviation, saying he preferred to wait until the airline had secured the frequencies.
