coronavirus air cargo

DOT asserts regulatory hurdles cleared for COVID-19 distribution

Regulatory measures needed for the immediate mass shipment of COVID-19 vaccines through Operation Warp Speed are now in place, according to the Trump administration.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) “has laid the groundwork for the safe transportation of the COVID-19 vaccine and is proud to support this historic endeavor,” DOT Secretary Elaine Chao announced Tuesday.

DOT’s modal agencies and Operation Warp Speed – which is overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services and the...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/dot-asserts-regulatory-hurdles-cleared-for-covid-19-distribution

Boeing says e-commerce, trade shifts drive future demand for freighters

Looking straight at nose of cargo jet, painted gray on top half, white on bottom, with side cargo door open and loading a container of freight.

The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) on Tuesday marginally downgraded its 20-year outlook for air cargo because of an uncertain economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis and adjustments to its model, but the aerospace giant still projects the global freighter fleet will expand 60% to support projected growth in international trade and the explosion in e-commerce shipments.

Cargo traffic, led by East Asia, is expected to average 4% annual growth through 2039, spurring deliveries of 2,430 all-cargo...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/boeing-says-e-commerce-trade-shifts-drive-future-demand-for-freighters

Information fog hinders air cargo readiness for COVID vaccine

Refrigerated containers get lifted onto a light blue cargo plane for Korean Air.

The airfreight supply chain is nervous it won’t be ready to support a massive global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines that could begin within months.

A fast-track development process, the complexity of handling medicines with stricter temperature requirements and lack of clear shipping specifications from pharmaceutical companies make it difficult for logistics providers to plan for vaccine delivery under expedited conditions, freight transportation experts say.

Cold-storage infrastructure, special...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/information-fog-hinders-air-cargo-readiness-for-covid-vaccine-distribution

United Airlines cargo planes to share space again with passengers

White jets with blue tails from United Airlines on the taxiways at Houston Airport.

United Airlines’ (NYSE: UAL) decision to convert some cargo-only flights between Asia and San Francisco to passenger service and resume nonstop service between the West Coast city and Shanghai will provide some much-needed capacity and speed for businesses desperate to move goods by air.

United said Friday that its three weekly passenger-freighter flights between Taipei, Taiwan, and San Francisco will change to passenger flights and that mini-freighter flights between San Francisco and Seoul,...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/united-airlines-cargo-planes-to-share-space-again-with-passengers

Air cargo’s COVID-19 arms race

A big blue cargo jet with a white top gets ready to receive temperature-controlled containes.

More airlines and logistics firms are fortifying their pharmaceutical handling capabilities and credentials ahead of an expected COVID-19 vaccine release.

Several companies this week announced new product offerings, investments or logistics arrangements aimed at vaccine manufacturers. Industry officials have warned that there isn’t enough cold-chain infrastructure worldwide to support an immediate delivery schedule, and urged governments and companies to identify gaps in the delivery system and...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/air-cargos-covid-19-arms-race

United Airlines surpasses 5,000 cargo-only flights since March

Close up of United Airlines tail fin, painted blue with globe picture. United is operating many planes as freighters.

United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) has operated more than 5,000 cargo-only flights since March 19, a significant milestone for an airline where passenger service dominated before the pandemic.

The passenger freighters have transported more than 170 million pounds of cargo, including medical supplies for the COVID-19 response, food aid and commodities for U.S. military bases, United said Wednesday on its blog.

The Chicago-based carrier quickly switched gears to transition Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/united-airlines-surpasses-5000-cargo-only-flights-since-march

Delta Air Lines cabins to go naked

A big white Delta jet with blue tail early in takeoff. Delta wants to take out some seats in planes to make way for cargo.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is the only major U.S. airline that currently plans to take advantage of federal authorization to strip passenger aircraft of their seats and substitute boxes of cargo.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) a month ago issued an exemption for domestic airlines to operate aircraft with floor-loaded cargo in the cabin, but the determination came after an airfreight bubble. Industry watchers wondered whether rates were still high enough to justify the conversion...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/exclusive-delta-air-lines-cabins-to-go-naked

Cathay Pacific strips seats from 777 aircraft for cargo

A Cathay Pacific widebody jet, up close side view. Cathay Pacific is removing seats from a couple planes to increase cargo capacity.

After operating thousands of cargo-only passenger flights since late March, Cathay Pacific  has deployed two widebody aircraft with seats removed to maximize floor loading of cargo in the passenger cabin.

The Hong Kong-based airline removed the economy and premium economy seats from two Boeing 777 passenger planes to create more space for personal protection equipment and high-value products, it said in a cargo-oriented newsletter published Friday.

Cathay Pacific began flying the modified...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/cathay-pacific-strips-seats-from-777-aircraft-for-cargo

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