If you’ve been dealing with air freight over the last several months, chances are high that your patience is really being put to the test. Air freight used to be the fastest, most efficient solution for shipping cargo immediately and avoiding any delays – of course, at a higher price that is. However, in recent months (and for the last year for that matter), both the cost has skyrocketed, and capacity has tightened, leaving shippers out of luck with every mode of shipping.

Passenger Aircraft Activity Increasing

Much of the reason that international air shipping came to a screeching halt was the lack of passenger aircraft activity. As COVID-19 sent entire countries into lockdowns, airplanes were flying at fractions of their previous rates. Unfortunately, this meant that air capacity would tighten as shippers looked for alternative options.

The new rules for air cargo screening practices are also causing delays both for passenger aircraft and cargo airplanes. But good news is on the way!

August: More Air Freight Options

August is seeing a massive increase in shipping and airport activity – both domestic flights and international. More widebody aircrafts are making their way along European, Asia Pacific, and Latin America/Mexico routes. And in addition to the increase of passenger aircraft, the shift in market conditions has made way for additional cargo aircraft routes, meaning much less pressure on airports and carriers and overall less congestion for U.S. based importers and exporters.

To add more good news into the mix, additional passenger and cargo aircraft routes are being added between Seattle and Shanghai. One cargo aircraft will be moving along the route twice weekly.

An expected 5,500 widebody flights are happening in August between all routes.

Resuming Flight Activity Tip

As the market begins to return to some semblance of “normal,” it’s important to remain vigilant of the race for capacity. Shippers are trying to take advantage of the increase in available capacity, which means the competition to get space may continue through the month. While you’ll have a better chance of getting your cargo aboard a vessel, you want to make sure you and your team are still planning ahead and being aware of your options.

If you have any questions regarding the increase in flight activity and what it may mean for your team, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our team members! We would love to help by answering any questions you may have or offering solutions to help streamline your air shipping activity!