It looks as though its time to finally say goodbye to the passenger freighters that served the air cargo industry so well during the Covid pandemic.
Passenger freighters, as they have become know, or even ‘preighters’, are aircraft that have a passenger cabin that is filled with freight, often with the seats still in place.
Passenger services were desolated during the height of the pandemic, and demand for air freight was extremely high due to global demands for PPE. This led to resourceful airlines using their passenger aircraft for moving cargo.
The practice has fallen away during recent months, as passenger services have been reinstated. However, EASA (The EU Aviation Safety Agency) exemptions that allowed this configuration will come to an end on 31st July 2022, since “the logistical challenges that arose in 2020 no longer exist”.
For us, it will be sad to see this operational innovation relegated to a snapshot in time. For the freight handlers, who had to physically handball goods through passenger doors, it’s good riddance!
At Westbound Logistics we pride ourselves in offering personalised and tailored logistics solutions. To find out more please call 01375 800800 or email info@westboundglobal.com.
