United Airlines Cargo flew its 5,000th cargo-only passenger aircraft flight since it began operating them from March 19.
Over time, the carrier has transported almost 170 mn tonnes of airfreight on these cargo-only flights alone, with utilising some of its Boeing 777s and 787 aircraft.
United Cargo had also transported 48,538m tonnes of medical supplies to aid in the fight against coronavirus using a combination of cargo-only flights and the bellyhold of passenger flights.
“With an increased need to keep the global supply chain moving, and an even more urgent need for medical supplies, we knew we had to utilize our network capabilities and personnel to move vital shipments, such as medical kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), pharmaceuticals and medical equipment between U.S. hubs and key international destinations,” said Jan Krems, President, United Cargo
To keep military families connected, United increased the frequency of cargo-only flights between the US and military bases in various parts of the world — including bases located in Guam, Kwajalein and several countries in Europe.
“We know how critically important it is for these families to stay connected, and I’m honored that we were able to utilise our network and our aircraft to fly nearly 3 million pounds of military supplies,” Krems said.
United Cargo also moved 81 mn tonnes of fresh produce to Guam for the US Department of Agriculture’s Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program. The programme, which is in association with food logistics firm Commodity Forwarders Inc, was created to provide support to consumers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
“These past few months have created challenges that I have never seen in my 30-plus years of experience working within the air cargo and freight forwarding industry. However, I’m proud of our teams for staying focused on our mission to provide high-quality service and to keep our customers connected with the goods they need most,” Krems noted.
