Freight Eastern Airlines announces air cargo division

Eastern Airlines is beginning with regular freight services, the carrier has announced. For the initial cargo market expansion, the airline has secured acquisition rights for a total of 35 777 Freighters from American aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

With the entrance into the freight market with the Boeing 777 Freighters, the airline is reacting to the ever-growing demand in E-Commerce goods. Over the pandemic, this market has accelerated in growth and has created excess demand for the service.

Steve Harfst, Eastern Airlines President and CEO, explained: "We are thrilled to offer this service to customers who have struggled to find capacity in the cargo market and to offer a nimble aircraft solution to serve customer needs […] This move is not just a game changer for Eastern, it will also transform the industry."

Eastern Air Cargo will be using the first-ever Passenger to Freighter (P2F) conversion of the B777 aircraft into a Class-E cargo aircraft. With the freighter, especially the express freight market can be served with the needed capacity and speed.

According to the airline, the B777 freighter will be fully certified with a Class-E main deck, which will be capable of carrying a full load of volumetric cargo. In comparison with conventional passenger aircraft that are being used as freighters, Eastern Air Cargo will not be subject to certain cargo commodities restrictions.

"Our pioneering conversion method is tailored specifically to meet the needs of express package freight customers […] It is more efficient and cost effective allowing us to better serve the exact needs of our customers at a competitive price," Harfst added.

The airline is working on future innovations for the aircraft, such as a palletized loading system and an installed Express main deck cargo door. These enhancements would make operations more time and cost efficient.

Eastern Airlines, the mainline carrier, is offering scheduled and non-scheduled passengers services to national and international destinations. The cargo aircraft will be offered through Eastern Air Cargo for general cargo sales, charters and ACMI/wet-leasing or dry leasing.