Eastern Airlines Logistics (EAL) has been keeping supply chains moving as flights get suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The subsidiary of China Eastern Air has operated 10 flights per day, increasing capacity and cargo volumes for four consecutive weeks in February.
By the end of February, outbound cargo increased 30% year-on-year and return volumes were up 50%.
Flight cancellations have significantly reduced freight capacity, with EAL subsidiary China Cargo Airlines putting a Boeing 747 Freighter back into operation.
Cargo aircraft and the luggage compartments of passenger aircraft have carried more than 3,000 tons of epidemic prevention materials and 138,000 tons of equipment to restart global supply chains.
EAL’s cargo aircraft have covered 40 international and regional logistic sites including Chicago, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Bangkok, Osaka, Tokyo and Seoul.
Daily outward volumes have increased 60% to 946 tons and return volumes are up 54% to 816 tons.
Customers include US car makers who saw their transport link with a major auto parts supplier cut off.
The manufacturer handed over 600 tons of auto parts to EAL for transportation, with six charter flights to the USA being planned for the first quarter.
Outbound flights included 70 tons of materials landing in Karachi to help Pakistan respond to coronavirus and a locust plague.