Weekly Wrap: COVID slows US ground handling and passenger freighters move PPE, vaccines

In this episode of the Air Cargo World Weekly Wrap, Senior Editor Charles Kauffman, Editor Caryn Livingston and Associate Editor Jeff Lee discuss airfreight trends for the week of Nov. 30, 2020. Dozens of trans-Pacific cargo flights into Los Angeles Airport (LAX) were canceled this week through at least Dec. 10. COVID-19 cases among ground handlers at LAX and other U.S. airports, including Chicago O’Hare (ORD), have slowed airfreight handling, even as longer delays in ocean freight are pushing shippers toward air. The supply chain strain comes at the height of this year’s peak season, when airfreight sees its busiest time of year, and subsequently higher airfreight rates have pushed more passenger freighters back into cargo service. Simultaneously, shipments of personal protective equipment are increasing again as the U.S. hits its worst point yet for new infections and European countries have reinstituted lockdowns. India-based SpiceJet, which operates converted freighters and passenger freighters, is planning to transport PPE between the U.S. and India, and has applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation for a foreign air carrier permit. Initial shipments are likely to occur using wet leased A340 passenger freighters operated by Hi Fly. Vaccines also began flying recently ahead of regulatory approvals, with United Airlines using its passenger freighters to position vaccines made by Pfizer ahead of wider distribution. Forwarders this week explained why passenger freighters may have found a niche for initial distribution and point-to-point vaccine shipments in the weeks and months ahead. Hear the discussion of all this and more in the most recent edition of the Weekly Wrap. https://vimeo.com/487444618

Weekly Wrap: COVID slows US ground handling and passenger freighters move PPE, vaccines

SpiceJet plans for US PPE shipments

Consultant Insight: Walmart, FedEx acquisitions highlight e-commerce rise

Related Posts

Voting has begun for the 2021 Air Cargo Excellence Awards

UAE’s Hope Consortium models global vaccine distribution

Ground handlers at Frankfurt Airport launch COVID testing for staff

Consultant Insight: Walmart, FedEx acquisitions highlight e-commerce rise

FROM OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Consultant Insight: FedEx nears closure of 5-year TNT integration

Consultant Insight: Semiconductor demand not met by supply chain

Consultant Insight: US manufacturing begins 2021 on an optimistic note

SPONSORED

Delta Cargo introduces priority COVID-19 vaccine handling

Executive Q&A with Manu Jacobs, Director of Specialty Products, United Cargo

Executive Q&A with Jan Krems, President, United Cargo

Follow Us