United Airlines

From missiles to baby formula, airlines provide vital airlift for US government

A military flatbed truck delivers missiles to load on a a white United Airlines jet with the cargo door open.

The Biden administration’s emergency airlift to expedite imports of overseas baby formula amid a widespread domestic shortage is the latest example of the U.S. government employing commercial cargo and passenger airlines to help solve a logistics crisis.

Since the start of the COVID pandemic in early 2020, the Trump and Biden administrations have leaned on these air logistics providers at least five times to deliver equipment, supplies and people for public health and national security needs. 

In...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/from-missiles-to-baby-formula-airlines-provide-vital-airlift-for-us-government

FedEx, United to deliver foreign-made baby formula to Dallas

A white FedEx jet with a blue tail lifts off the runway with warehouses in the background.

A FedEx Express MD-11 freighter and a United Airlines passenger jet are scheduled to land Thursday afternoon at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport with emergency shipments of baby formula organized by the Biden administration as part of its campaign to alleviate a critical domestic food shortage for infants.

The FedEx (NYSE: FDX) charter flight from Cologne, Germany, is carrying 110,000 pounds of Nestle infant formula, which can make about 1.6 million eight-ounce bottles. 

The Department of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fedex-united-to-deliver-foreign-made-baby-formula-to-dallas

United Airlines volunteers to deliver baby formula from London

A pallet on a lift being loaded into rear of white United jet with blue tail .

United Airlines will donate space on passenger aircraft to transport baby formula from the United Kingdom under the U.S. government’s Operation Fly Formula program to shore up depleted domestic stocks so families can feed their infants.

The White House announced that United has agreed to transport Kendamil formula free of charge from Heathrow Airport in London to multiple airports across the United States over a three-week period, beginning June 9. These are the first Operation Fly Formula...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/united-airlines-volunteers-to-deliver-baby-formula-from-london

FreightWaves Classics/Infrastructure: SFO is a key gateway airport (Part 2)

An aerial view of San Francisco International Airport in 1970. (Photo: SFO Airport: Aviation Museum & Library Collection)

Earlier this month San Francisco International Airport (SFO) celebrated its 95th birthday. The largest of the three major airports serving the San Francisco Bay area, an earlier FreightWaves Classics article covered the early history of SFO. You can read that article here, while today’s article will profile the airport’s history during the first two decades of the jet age.

The jet age begins at SFO

In March 1959 the first commercial jet service at SFO began when Trans World Airlines (TWA) flew...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-classicsinfrastructure-sfo-is-a-key-gateway-airport-part-2

FreightWaves Classics/Infrastructure: SFO is a key gateway (Part 1)

Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis on the way to a special hangar at Mills Field, September 16, 1927. (Photo: Horace Chaffee/Department of Public Works/opensfhistory.org)

Earlier this month San Francisco International Airport (SFO) celebrated its 95th birthday. The largest of the three major airports serving the San Francisco Bay area, SFO began its life as Mills Field Municipal Airport in 1927. It opened two weeks prior to Charles Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

At the time, the population of the Bay area (San Francisco, Alameda and Santa Clara counties) was about 1.25 million. Today, more than 7 million people live in the same area.

The mayor of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-classicsinfrastructure-sfo-is-a-key-gateway-part-1

Return of United Airlines’ 777s provides ‘material’ upside for cargo

A white plane, with blue tail and United painted on side takes off.

United Airlines is adding a significant amount of cargo capacity to its fleet with the return of 52 Boeing 777-200 large passenger jets out of service for more than a year, while at the same time trimming second-quarter flight schedules because of labor and other constraints amid rising travel demand.

The developments underscore that the airline industry’s recovery from the pandemic isn’t a straight-line path.

The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday greenlighted the reintroduction of United...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/united-airlines-brings-back-dozens-of-777-aircraft

United Airlines reaps cargo benefit from supply chain chaos

A white United Airlines jet with a blue tail flying into the blue sky heading away from the camera.

United Airlines’ cargo business continued its superlative performance in the first quarter with $627 million in revenue as the airline presented a bullish outlook for a return to profitability in the second quarter and full year.

CEO Scott Kirby said in a LinkedIn post that United is “exiting the tunnel” after two years of pandemic losses and cutbacks.

Sales for United Cargo improved 119% from pre-pandemic levels and were 26% better than a year ago even though cargo revenue ton miles — tons...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/united-airlines-reaps-cargo-benefit-from-supply-chain-chaos

Delayed return of United Airlines’ 777s keeps lid on cargo capacity

A white United Airlines 777 plane in front of a maintenance hanger with carts around it. The 777s have been out of service for more than a year to resolve a safety issue with the engines.

Cargo owners will have to wait at least a month longer to access additional airlift through United Airlines because the carrier is postponing the reintroduction of 52 Boeing 777s that were grounded after one suffered an uncontained engine failure a year ago.

United had planned to bring some of the planes back to service this month, but pushed back their return until mid-May, CNBC reported. 

The delay is a setback as the airline gears up for the busy summer season in anticipation that...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/delayed-return-of-united-airlines-777s-keeps-lid-on-cargo-capacity

FreightWaves Classics/Fallen Flags: Varney Air Lines delivers the mail

Lee Cuddleback and a Varney Air Lines' Laird Swallow. (Photo: SFO Museum)

On this date in 1926, Varney Air Lines officially began service as an airmail carrier. The company made history with a U.S. airmail flight that began in Pasco, Washington. The April 6, 1926 edition of the Salt Lake Tribune reported “America’s most modern and rapid transportation of mail was brought to the Northwest today.”

The backstory

Congress passed HR 7064 (“An Act to encourage commercial aviation and to authorize the Postmaster General to contract for Air Mail Service”). Also known as “The...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-classicsfallen-flags-varney-air-lines-delivers-the-mail

+ More