SHENZHEN International Airport saw an increase of cargo throughput by 2 percent in April due to demand for anti-pandemic materials around the globe, sources from the airport showed.

So far, the airport has handled more than 500 cargo flights including chartered flights and 200 flights of refitted passenger aircraft. The flights have carried 10,000 tons of anti-pandemic materials to 37 countries.

On Sunday morning, a flight of China Eastern Airlines left the city for Los Angeles, carrying 30 tons of anti-pandemic materials. It was the first passenger-flight-turned-cargo-flight operated by China Eastern Airlines in the city.

Between May 17 and June 30, China Eastern Airlines will operate 90 round-trip cargo flights between Shenzhen and Los Angeles, carrying surgical and N95 masks as well as other anti-pandemic materials.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, major airline companies operating in Shenzhen, like China Southern Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines and Hainan Airlines, have refitted passenger planes into cargo planes to meet the global demand for anti-pandemic materials.

So far, more than 20 international passenger routes have been changed into cargo routes. (Han Ximin)