Companies ship by air because it’s faster than other modes. So how does shipping by sea actually help Cathay Pacific move air cargo through Hong Kong?
Cargo is piling up at the Port of Shanghai because a citywide quarantine means most trucks can’t reach the port to pick up loads and keep commerce flowing.
With Shanghai in a COVID bubble, air cargo airlines are avoiding the city because there is little freight to pick up and imports may take a long time to get unloaded.
Cathay Pacific is running out of pilots for its freighter operations because of stricter quarantine measures.
Hong Kong has finally made it easier for certain airlines to operate by easing some COVID restrictions for pilots. Cargo operators will benefit the most.
FedEx pilots want the company to stop releasing crews into Hong Kong for rest periods because of aggressive testing and quarantine restrictions that subject them to infection and loss of personal freedom.
Hong Kong has some of the most rigid COVID-19 health measures and travel restrictions in the world. New rules targeted at home-based crews are impacting operations at Cathay Pacific and FedEx, where pilots are also griping about the lack of good air conditioning when overnighting in China.
The state of Victoria in Australia has declared a COVID-19 emergency and is shutting down nonessential businesses. Qantas Freight is pausing operations at its warehouse because of a health issue.
Pilots don’t want to fly to Hong Kong because of mandatory crew tests for coronavirus. Some airlines have hit the pause button on flights to avoid crews getting trapped in long quarantines.
Quarantines and factory shutdowns could deepen and extend the traditional Chinese New Year trough.
