Eastern Airlines enters air cargo market with ‘freighter-light’ model

Friday, September 03, 2021 at 03:00 PM ET

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Eastern Airlines currently operates a fleet of 10 Boeing 767s. It has acquired a large number of Boeing 777s it plans to fly for dedicated cargo customers. Courtesy Eastern Airlines

Key Takeaways:

Eastern Airlines is entering the air cargo market with a unique "freighter-light" model, stripping seats from 35 purchased Boeing 777 widebody aircraft rather than conducting traditional, costly freighter conversions.
This strategy creates "Class E freighters" designed to carry low-density e-commerce and express delivery cargo, such as apparel and electronics, primarily targeting the Asian market.
The airline aims to offer significantly higher cargo volume and lower unit costs compared to temporary "preighters," despite potential challenges related to more labor-intensive loading through passenger doors.