Cathay Pacific freighters make comeback, but cargo volume still lags

A white jumbo jet with teal tail and Cathay Pacific Cargo logo lifts off runway.

With a full freighter schedule in place this month for the first time since the start of COVID-19 and the reintroduction of more passenger service as Hong Kong gradually reduces travel restrictions, Cathay Pacific will be at 65% of its pre-pandemic cargo capacity by the end of the year, the airline’s chief customer and commercial officer predicted.

That’s good news for companies shipping by air in a region where transport supply is continuing to improve with the reopening of China but can still...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cathay-pacific-freighters-make-comeback-but-cargo-still-lags

How slow ships are speeding up Hong Kong’s air cargo

Tail end of a Cathay Pacific jet with green tail, with a Cathay 747 cargo jet in the background.

Cathay Pacific’s move to restore a large amount of cargo capacity this quarter as Hong Kong lowers strict COVID restrictions is welcome news for businesses coping with high rates and tight transport supply in the Asian market. It also reflects the ingenuity of the airline and its home airport that kept cargo operations functioning in the midst of debilitating quarantine measures.

The most counterintuitive change in business practices was harnessing maritime shipping — the slowest form of freight...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-slow-ships-are-speeding-up-hong-kongs-air-cargo

Cathay Pacific limps through Q1 with 20% cargo capacity

A white jumbo jet with teal tail and Cathay Pacific Cargo lettering lifts off from runway.

Cathay Pacific carried fewer than 25,000 passengers in January, a 99.2% decline from three years ago, and cargo volume is down to 21% of pre-COVID levels, according to monthly traffic figures released Thursday that illustrate the devastating impact of Hong Kong’s restrictive reaction to the omicron variant. 

With its large freighter fleet and extensive long-haul passenger network, Cathay has traditionally been one of the crown jewels in air cargo. It was the third-largest carrier by amount of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cathay-pacific-limps-through-q1-with-20-cargo-capacity

Cathay Pacific restarts limited cargo service after COVID pause

A white jumbo jet with teal colored tail and Cathay Pacific Cargo lettering.

Cathay Pacific will partially resume long-haul cargo service on Friday following a week-long suspension tied to Hong Kong’s more aggressive quarantine measures for cockpit crews and operate at about a fifth of its pre-pandemic cargo capacity for the month of January, FreightWaves has learned.

The combination airline last week grounded freighters serving the Middle East, Europe, North America and Southwest Pacific after health authorities increased the quarantine period for Hong Kong-domiciled...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cathay-pacific-restarts-limited-cargo-service-after-covid-pause

Cathay Pacific suspends cargo flights as Hong Kong tightens COVID rules

A white Cathay Pacific 747 jumbo jet with green tail turns on the runway.

Cathay Pacific has suspended all long-haul freighter and cargo-only passenger flights for a week after Hong Kong authorities extended the quarantine period for arriving air cargo crews from three to seven days, the airline confirmed.

The decision is another gut punch to an airline reeling from a massive contraction in passenger business because of strict COVID-19 measures in the semi-autonomous city and represents a loss of significant cargo capacity for shippers faced with tight supply...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cathay-pacific-suspends-cargo-flights-as-hong-kong-tightens-covid-rules

FedEx shutters Hong Kong pilot base over COVID restrictions

Purple tail fins of FedEx planes parked at airport.

FedEx Express is abandoning its pilot base in Hong Kong because of restrictive COVID health and travel rules that make it difficult for the parcel carrier’s airline to operate efficiently.

In late January, FedEx (NYSE: FDX) relocated at significant expense about 180 of its Hong Kong-domiciled pilots and their families to San Francisco so they wouldn’t be subject to lengthy quarantines required by Hong Kong authorities after returning from trips. The express delivery company said at the time that...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fedex-shutters-hong-kong-pilot-base-over-covid-restrictions

Hong Kong relaxes COVID rules for cargo pilots

A white 747 jumbo jet with a green tail operated by Cathay Pacific Cargo sits on a wet tarmac.

The government of Hong Kong announced Friday it has loosened requirements for Hong Kong-based aircrews to quarantine after returning home from duty, removing a major operational burden for all-cargo airlines such as Cathay Pacific and FedEx Express (NYSE: FDX).

The mandate for crews operating freighters and cargo-only passenger aircraft to segregate will be lifted for pilots and other onboard personnel who are fully vaccinated, the government said. The new policy excludes aircrews that layover...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/hong-kong-relaxes-covid-rules-for-cargo-pilots

Exclusive: UPS pilots detained in Hong Kong while awaiting COVID test results

A white UPS jumbo jet with brown tail coming in for landing over water by Hong Kong Airport.

UPS pilots disembarking for rest in Hong Kong report they are being forced to wait in government facilities for COVID-19 test results rather than proceed to their hotel, a situation that could escalate tensions with the U.S. over restrictive COVID-19 health measures on aircrews arriving in the semiautonomous city.

The U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this week retaliated against Hong Kong’s aggressive quarantine measures for pilots that are impacting cargo flights by FedEx Express...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/exclusive-ups-pilots-detained-in-hong-kong-while-awaiting-covid-test-results

Blockchain advances amid predictions of buoyant future in perishables supply chain

Blockchain is on the threshold of a bright future in perishables logistics, according to MarketsandMarkets.
A report published by the research firm predicts that the blockchain market in the agriculture and food supply chain will reach a volume of $948m by 2025.
Propelled by concerns about food safety, the use of the technology in the sector will show a compound annual growth rate of 48.1%, the authors believe. They anticipate the fastest …

The post Blockchain advances amid predictions of...

https://theloadstar.com/blockchain-advances-amid-predictions-of-buoyant-future-in-perishables-supply-chain/

Hong Kong quarantine disrupts FedEx, Cathay Pacific crews and cargo

FedEx aircraft, white with blue tails, parked at airport.

A new Hong Kong requirement for arriving pilots to quarantine for 14 days has spurred FedEx Express (NYSE: FDX) to relocate pilots to San Francisco and Cathay Pacific to warn of severe capacity cuts for cargo and passenger flights. 

FedEx is giving pilots and their families the option to relocate to San Francisco after Hong Kong authorities revealed plans for 14-day hotel quarantines on city-based air crews to contain a wave of new COVID-19 infections, the South China Morning Post reported. The...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/hong-kong-quarantine-disrupts-fedex-cathay-pacific-crews-and-cargo