Having expanded its cargo capacity earlier this year with a few converted aircraft, Air Canada has received delivery of its first Boeing 767-300ER freighter, marking the airline’s return to dedicated freighter operations.
While the pandemic caused huge issues for much of the aviation industry, according to SimpleFlying, demand for cargo skyrocketed as people stayed at home. At the same time, the capacity for flying cargo around the world plummeted as passenger aircraft were grounded, including their belly cargo space.
Air Canada was the first airline to reconfigure a handful of its passenger aircraft by removing seats and quickly ramping up its cargo capacity.
From Passengers To Packages
With 58 tonnes of capacity, Air Canada’s first dedicated Boeing 767-300ER freighter was put into service ahead of schedule on 09DEC to provide additional cargo capacity in Vancouver and meet increased demand due to the flooding in B.C.
Supply chain disruptions are a world-wide problem right now. The pandemic has put a serious hamper on production. These disruptions are likely to continue, but in British Columbia, it’s been extra hard.
“The freighter is planned to operate 12 trips between our Toronto and Vancouver cargo hubs. Our teams have also worked extremely hard over the last several days to get our freighter into service early to aid in the transport of goods to Vancouver," said Jason Berry, Vice President, Cargo, at Air Canada.
According to MotleyFool, the expansion of the airline’s cargo fleet will now offer consistent, stable revenue, even if the pandemic continues for years.
The company can sign on to long-term contracts that will allow the freighters to continue shipments even should the pandemic continue. And when it’s over, those funds will simply continue.
MotleyFool summarizes the revenue stream as providing stability. Not a word that's been in our vocabulary for the last 18 months.
At the time that the airline announced the conversions, the airline’s Executive VP and CCO commented,
“We are exploring the opportunity to convert several of our owned Boeing 767 aircraft to freighters subject to concluding satisfactory arrangements with our pilots. We believe that this will be an exciting opportunity to leverage the growth of e-commerce and Air Canada’s global footprint.”
The freighters will allow Air Canada Cargo to increase its capabilities to transport goods such as automotive and aerospace parts, oil and gas equipment, pharmaceuticals, perishables, as well as handling the growing demand for fast, reliable shipment of e-commerce goods.
In 2022, primarily out of Toronto, the 767-300ER will also serve Miami, Quito, Lima, Mexico City and Guadalajara. A second aircraft is planned for delivery in the first half of 2022 to service additional airports including Madrid, Halifax and St. John's.
