newstodate.aero

Mar 17, 2020 (newstodate): While the US ban on passenger flights from Europe into the USA is now implemented, all-cargo flights are still exempted.
   The problem is, however, that according to some statistics 65-80 percent of the Europe-USA air cargo is carried on passenger flights, leaving the airfreight market in dire needs for capacity as about 185,000 passenger flights between Europe and the USA have been cancelled since late January as the coronavirus took effect.
   Driven by market requests, some passenger airlines including Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Delta Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and others are now operating cargo-only flights by passenger aircraft, and more are airlines, including British Airways, are expected to follow suit.
   As one example, Icelandair is watching the market as it reduces capacity by some 30 percent:
   -We are currently flying to open airports in US, including Boston, New York JFK, Newark, Washington, Seattle and Chicago as well as our Canada destinations.   
   -As long as we do have passengers flights we will utilize them for freight. But we do have the option to operate freighters between Europe and N-America if needed, says Gunnar Mar Sigurfinnsson, Icelandair Cargo Managing Director.
   Finnair that is to slash 90 percent of capacity from April 1, 2020, is also watching the development closely:
   -We are actively trying to find ways together with our customers to get their shipments delivered during this exceptional time. It is however too early to say what the potential scenarios may be, says Emmi Teras, Finnair Cargo  
Head of Marketing.