Cargo airlines, not being restricted by passenger demand, have a great deal of flexibility as to where they operate. China Southern’s cargo division is no exception, flying to Mexico City’s new Felipe Ángeles International Airport, having moved there from the much busier and much more crowded Benito Juárez International Airport in the past few years. From here, it serves Harbin, Shanghai-Pudong, and Shenzen via Los Angeles. Trying to give air freight some more love as of late, so these trip reports are going to be a bit more common.
Server: Solo
Airline: China Southern Cargo
Aircraft: Boeing 777F
Origin: Felipe Ángeles International Airport, Santa Lucía, Mexico (NLU)
Destination: Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California (LAX)
Flight Number: CZ2522
Route: MMSM-KLAX
Seat: N/A
Time En Route: 3 Hours 17 Minutes
Loading cargo an hour or so before departure. China Southern Cargo operates 19x Boeing 777 freighters, based off the 777-200LR. These can be seen at various air freight hubs across the world, unrestricted by the demands of passenger travel, like when Nashville saw scheduled service from China Airlines Cargo’s 747-400Fs in the '00s.
Pushing back at Felipe Ángeles
Taxiing out of the cargo ramp
Climbing out of NLU. Due to the field’s elevation, the “No exceeding 250 KIAS below 10,000 feet” is often only applicable for less than 5 minutes. However, since both of Mexico City’s airports are “hot and high”, a high takeoff thrust setting is needed anyway.
Crossing the border between the Mexican states of Zacatecas and Durango
Cruising up the Gulf of California
Final approach through the Marine Layer
Landing in the late morning in LA
Exiting Runway 25L
On the Imperial Cargo Ramp loading more freight for the next leg of the trip across the Pacific to Pudong
