Video answers: Air Cargo’s Coronavirus Problem

Here are the answers to last Friday’s video, enjoy!

Suggested ICAO level for video: 5+

Around 45% of air cargo is transported by passenger flights according to the video.
50% of cargo capacity was lost on this route due to COVID-19 during this period.
Demand decreased by only 15% during March 2020.
This was due to the drop in demand from consumers but also the huge increase in demand for PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and other medical supplies by hospitals.
Airlines started to use their passenger planes to transport only cargo.
Firstly, the huge drop in jet fuel prices made this possible and, as many airlines were still paying their employees, the additional cost to operate these flights was minimal. And thirdly, airlines started to use the passenger cabin for cargo storage too and this increased the revenue generating ability of each individual flight.
It’s unlikely that these factors will remain the same in the future, indeed if one of these circumstances changes, it may not remain profitable for airlines to perform these cargo flights with passenger planes.

For more information about carrying cargo on passenger planes, go to our article on the subject.