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Monster rise in airfreight charter flights 

charters aviation

Airfreight charter flights for logistics provider C.H. Robinson have increased by 1000 per cent since the pandemic began. 

Demand for the flights has grown exponentially in direct response to a reduction in both domestic and international passenger flights. 

COVID restrictions have impacted cargo capacity and increased the price per kilogram of products on passenger flights.   

Andrew Coldrey, Vice President of C.H. Robinson Oceania, says there’s never been such a drastic increase in charter flights, with charters flexibility of aircraft type, capacity and timing attracting businesses.  

Previously, demand for airfreight charters was one or two a year of unique cargo such as specialist mining machinery, whereas now we are moving everything from medical equipment to agricultural machinery parts,” says Andrew.  

The top five cargo for the logistics firm in the last three months has been PPE, Automative, Raw Materials, Retail and Oil and Gas.  

Research by the Global Business Travel Association indicates international business travel is unlikely to return to pre-covid levels until 2025.  

“Due to our wide network and supply of aircrafts, a huge variety of needs can be catered for from 110 tonnes of PPE on a Boeing 747 freighter to 40 tonnes of T-shirts on a 787,” he added.  

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