UPS pilots ratify 2-year contract extension

A UPS cargo plane, white in front and brown in rear, flying against blue sky, viewed from behind.

The union representing pilots at express delivery titan UPS said Friday its members have overwhelmingly ratified a two-year contract extension.

UPS Airlines (NYSE: UPS) pilots approved the agreement with 91% voting in favor and with 97% participation in the balloting, the Independent Pilots Association said. The new agreement extends the terms of the pilot contract until Sept. 1, 2025.

The short-term extension provides enhanced wage increases and retirement benefits, according to UPS and the IPA.

U...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ups-pilots-ratify-2-year-contract-extension

FedEx, UPS operate large Boeing freighters FAA says vulnerable to 5G

A UPS jumbo jet takes off with mountains in the background.

A new Federal Aviation Administration regulation prohibiting Boeing 747-8 freighters and all 777 widebody aircraft from landing at airports where 5G towers might interfere with onboard safety equipment could have a disproportionate impact on major cargo airlines like UPS, FedEx and Atlas Air.

The airworthiness directive issued Tuesday said the FAA has identified an additional hazard from interference with radio altimeters beyond creating a landing danger in low-visibility conditions....

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fedex-ups-operate-large-boeing-freighters-faa-says-vulnerable-to-5g

Air cargo relief: AT&T, Verizon delay 5G service near airports

AT&T and Verizon each announced Tuesday they will postpone upgraded wireless service near some airports after the nation’s largest airlines warned that the service would interfere with aircraft technology and cause massive flight disruptions for both cargo and passenger planes.

The companies will delay turning on new cell towers around runways at some airports and work with federal regulators to settle a dispute over potential interference from new 5G service. The service was scheduled to start...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/air-cargo-relief-att-verizon-delay-5g-service-near-airports

Seasonal assist: Waymo Via testing autonomous trucks with UPS in Texas

Waymo Via is joining the freight-dense Interstate 45 route from Fort Worth, Texas, to Houston in a six-week test of its latest autonomous trucking software for UPS that comes as the package delivery company benefits from extra help for the holiday shipping season.

The human-supervised Class 8 trucks with the Generation 5 Waymo Driver system are the first commercial application of Waymo’s system that will be integrated into Freightliner Cascadias through Waymo’s partnership with Daimler Trucks...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/seasonal-assist-waymo-via-testing-autonomous-trucks-with-ups-in-texas

US, German airports join forces to boost cargo connection

Aerial photo of UPS planes at Rockford Airport near Chicago.

New international air service from parcel giant UPS and several other all-cargo carriers expected later this year is the direct result of recent collaboration between Chicago Rockford International Airport and Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) in Germany, said Rockford Cargo Director Ken Ryan.

Rockford Airport (RFD), a burgeoning air hub for cargo located about 70 miles northwest of O’Hare International Airport, and CGN on Monday announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to mutually...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-german-airports-join-forces-to-boost-cargo-connection

Scoop: UPS pilots try rapid COVID test to avoid Hong Kong quarantines

Brown-tails of UPS planes in a row at airport.

UPS Airlines pilots are testing themselves for COVID midflight, using a novel rapid antigen device that has yet to be approved by the U.S., and sending the results ahead to Hong Kong in an effort to avoid lengthy government quarantines on arrival, FreightWaves has learned.

The express carrier is participating in a trial of the Covi-Stix detection kit manufactured by Sorrento Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SRNE) to support Food and Drug Administration authorization and prevent pilots flying from the...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/scoop:-ups-pilots-try-rapid-covid-test-to-avoid-hong-kong-quarantines

FreightWaves Flashback: UPS picks MD-11, sets financial course

FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. If there are topics that you think would be of interest, please send them to [email protected].

The many industries that make up the world of freight have undergone tremendous change over the past several decades. Each week, FreightWaves explores the archives of American Shipper’s nearly 70-year-old collection of shipping and maritime publications to showcase interesting freight stories of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-flashback-ups-picks-md-11-sets-financial-course

Michigan airports support airlift of Pfizer vaccine (with video)

White FedEx cargo aircraft loaded with coronavirus vaccine in Michigan.

Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, could play an active role in the U.S. and worldwide distribution of COVID-19 vaccine because it is the closest commercial airport to Pfizer Inc.’s Kalamazoo manufacturing plant.

On Sunday, an Airbus A300 cargo jet operated by FedEx Express (NYSE: FDX) left Ford airport for the 90- minute flight to FedEx’s global air hub in Memphis, Tennessee, carrying the first air shipment of the life-saving vaccine. FedEx has a facility at the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/michigan-airports-support-airlift-of-pfizer-vaccine-with-video

FAA gives priority clearance to flights carrying COVID vaccines

An air traffic control tower.

Flights carrying COVID-19 vaccines will receive priority landing privileges from the  Federal Aviation Administration to help with the rush delivery of the lifesaving medicines. 

“The FAA will handle flights carrying COVID-19 vaccines the same way we handled flights carrying personal protective equipment in the spring. Airlines will provide lists of flights carrying COVID-19 vaccines to the FAA’s Command Center, which will alert traffic facilities in the field that these are priority flights....

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/faa-gives-priority-clearance-to-flights-carrying-covid-vaccines

UPS pilots want more COVID testing as infections spike

A white UPS cargo jet with brown tail flies over populated area. View is looking down from above aircraft.

The pilots’ union for UPS (NYSE: UPS) says the express delivery company is not providing enough COVID-19 testing even as the infection surges among its members. 

The Independent Pilots Association, which represents 3,000 crew members at UPS Airlines, on Monday said 100 pilots contracted the coronavirus in November, double the number of cases that occurred during the prior seven months. The statement was the latest act in an ongoing campaign this year to draw attention to alleged health safety...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/ups-pilots-want-more-covid-testing-as-infections-spike

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