IAG Cargo is to start Madrid – Shanghai in late 2016 and Madrid – Tokyo services from 18 October.

The flights will be operated by Iberia, and will be served by Airbus A330-200s with 13 tonnes of cargo capacity. The Tokyo flights will leave Madrid on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays while the Shanghai services are subject to granting slots and permits.

The Iberia routes follows the announcement that British Airways will be operating 10 flights per week from London’s Heathrow Airport to Shanghai Pudong International Airport from 20 February, and will be adding a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in the middle of the year.

IAG Cargo has announced a number of new or expanded routes for 2016, including British Airways 787-9 Heathrow to San Jose services from 4 May. From March, Heathrow – Tel Aviv services will be twice-daily Boeing 777-200 services to cater for Israel’s growing temperature sensitive pharmaceutical sector.

On 27 April, British Airways will start twice weekly London Gatwick to San Jose, Costa Rica services, and three times a week Gatwick – Lima flights both using 777-200ERs. Iberia will start three times a week A330-200 Madrid to San Juan, Puerto Rico flights. Iberia will also start three times a week A330-300 flights between Madrid and Johannesburg from 1 August.