Lack of passenger flights squeezes air freight capacity

Flying high: Cathay Pacific has stepped up services on trans-Pacific routes and added cargo-only passenger flights to meet strong demand. — AP

SYDNEY: A sharp fall in passenger flights due to the coronavirus pandemic combined with rising e-commerce demand is setting the stage for tight capacity and a renewed rise in air freight rates heading into the peak Christmas season.

Dedicated air freighters are flying more hours of the day than usual to help make up for the decline in passenger belly space and some airlines are running “ghost flights” without passengers due to attractive cargo rates, but capacity and demand remain mismatched, according to industry experts.