Airlines Ease International Air Cargo Crunch

May 12, 2020

In the wake of COVID-19, dozens of airlines are looking to cargo as an alternative source of revenue.

Previously retired aircraft, passenger planes, and additional freighter services are being used to move air freight. The move will help counteract lost belly space on over 185000 international flights grounded by COVID-19.

Most recently, Lufthansa removed the cabin seats from several passenger aircraft to make room for air cargo. The airline joins a host of carriers such as Qantas, Emirates, and Delta who are using passenger aircraft to supplement their freighter capacity. These planes would otherwise be grounded.

Other carriers such as Qatar Airways and Turkish Cargo have opted to increase the frequency of their international freight routes.

As a result, global belly capacity has improved by 30% over the last two weeks. Better again, international cargo capacity on airline freighters has also skyrocketed by 28% compared to the year prior.

China, in particular, has seen total outbound cargo capacity grow substantially. From the 29th of April to the 5th of May, capacity increased by 22% compared to the same week in 2019. The spate of new flight services provided an additional 21000 tonnes of air cargo space!

Seabridge is working directly with airlines to find the best freight solutions for our clients. To expedite your time critical cargo worldwide, contact us today at 1800 727 195.

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