FedEx has transported two giant pandas from Chengdu, China, to Atlanta, Georgia, in a dedicated airfreight operation supporting their relocation to Zoo Atlanta.
Six-year-old male Ping Ping and five-year-old female Fu Shuang travelled aboard a FedEx Boeing 777F, designated the “FedEx Panda Express,” in a specialist operation carried out in cooperation with Zoo Atlanta. The pandas arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on September 27.
The movement highlights the specialist logistics required to transport live animals internationally, combining dedicated aircraft capacity, purpose-built containers, specialist animal care and coordinated ground transportation.
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Dedicated air cargo operation
FedEx said the pandas travelled non-stop from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport to Atlanta on the Boeing 777F. The aircraft was dedicated to the operation, with Ping Ping and Fu Shuang travelling in specially designed transport enclosures under the supervision of Zoo Atlanta animal specialists.
The shipment also included supplies required for the pandas’ journey, including fresh bamboo, water and food treats.
The specialist nature of the operation reflects the additional planning required when aviation is used to transport high-value or highly sensitive live cargo. Animal movements of this type require coordination between the carrier, animal-care specialists, authorities and the receiving facility.
FedEx said it has worked with the Chinese government and zoos internationally for decades to support the transportation of giant pandas. For the latest relocation, the company is donating the full cost of transportation as part of its corporate social responsibility and conservation activities.
Richard W. Smith, FedEx Chief Operating Officer, International, and Chief Executive Officer, Airline, said the latest operation demonstrated the company’s experience in handling specialised cargo.
“Safely delivering Ping Ping and Fu Shuang to their new home in Atlanta underscores our long-standing commitment to global conservation and our network’s ability to securely transport high-priority, precious cargo.”
Preparing the pandas for international transport
The operation began well before the aircraft departed China.
According to the information released by FedEx, the pandas spent time becoming accustomed to their travel enclosures ahead of the journey. This preparation was intended to support a safe and comfortable transit.
Zoo Atlanta confirmed that Ping Ping and Fu Shuang were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Ping Ping was born on March 17, 2020, while Fu Shuang was born on October 18, 2020.
After landing in Atlanta, the pandas were transferred from the airport to Zoo Atlanta with trucking and logistics support from FedEx.
The animals are now undergoing a routine quarantine period behind the scenes and are not yet on public display. Zoo Atlanta said further information about their public debut will be announced later.
New conservation partnership
The relocation is part of a new International Cooperative Research Agreement on Giant Panda Conservationbetween Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
The agreement was announced in April 2026 and establishes a new framework for cooperation on giant panda conservation and research. Both Ping Ping and Fu Shuang were identified at that time as the pandas expected to join Zoo Atlanta.
Zoo Atlanta said the arrival marks a new chapter in its relationship with giant panda conservation. The organisation’s previous agreement with China began in 1999 and concluded in 2024, during which seven giant pandas were born at the zoo.
FedEx’s specialist panda transport experience
The latest operation builds on FedEx’s history of transporting giant pandas between China and the United States.
In October 2024, FedEx operated a dedicated Boeing 777F service carrying six giant pandas between the United States and China. That operation involved a flight from Atlanta to Chengdu carrying four pandas, followed by a return flight from Chengdu to Washington, D.C., carrying two pandas.
FedEx has referred to the Boeing 777F used for these missions as the FedEx Panda Express, providing dedicated air transportation rather than moving the animals as part of a conventional mixed-cargo operation.
The company’s latest movement brings its reported total to 23 giant pandas transported to and from China since 2000.
Specialist logistics beyond the aircraft
The operation demonstrates how specialised air cargo movements can extend well beyond the flight itself.
For Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, the logistics chain included preparation for transport, specially designed enclosures, specialist supervision during the flight, dedicated aircraft capacity and coordinated road transportation after arrival.
Zoo Atlanta’s animal specialists remained responsible for the pandas during the journey, while FedEx provided the aviation and ground logistics infrastructure required to move the animals from Chengdu to their new home in Atlanta.
For cargo operators, such missions illustrate the role of dedicated logistics solutions in moving live animals and other shipments where conventional freight-handling processes are insufficient.
