Inside the massive effort by US airlines to transport medical supplies and mail on cargo-only flights using passenger jets

American Airlines cargo-only flight
Cargo being loaded into an American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER chartered for a cargo-only flight.

Tom Pennington/Getty

  • The big four US airlines have resorted to flying cargo-only flights as passenger traffic dries up amid the coronavirus pandemic.

  • American, Delta, United, and Southwest are offering their otherwise unused aircraft for charter cargo operations, flying medical supplies and other necessities around the world.

  • Most of the airlines have never flown a cargo-only charter or haven't done so in decades, with airlines around the world also making the shift.

  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Four new cargo airlines have graced the skies in the past month. Their names: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.

The loss of passenger traffic in the wake of COVID-19's rapid spread has forced the four largest airlines in the US to rethink their strategies to maintain at least some revenue streams as their core business is evaporating. Airlines haven't been able to fill the passenger sections of their aircraft, but demand has increased for the space that lies below the seats.

Cargo demand has only risen since the beginning of the novel coronavirus crisis as necessities ranging from medical supplies to the mail continue to travel even if the people they're intended for aren't. Dedicated cargo airlines with freight-configured aircraft are finding they can only carry so much.

Faced with the prospect of sending their aircraft off for temporary storage where they generate no revenue, the big four decided to offer their aircraft solely for cargo use. The flights keep the aircraft in the air while mitigated the loss of valuable cash flow.

Take a look inside some of the newly-established cargo-only flights on passenger airliners.

American Airlines launched its first cargo-only flight of the 21st century shortly after Trump announced travel restrictions to Europe that decimating the airline's flying schedule.

American Airlines
An American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER at New York's JFK Airport before boarding passengers.

William Perugini/shutterstock

Source: American Airlines

The first flight would be flown by its largest aircraft and flagship, a Boeing 777-300ER, from Dallas, Texas to Frankfurt, Germany on March 20.

American Airlines cargo-only flight
Cargo being loaded into an American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER chartered for a cargo-only flight.

Tom Pennington/Getty

Source: American Airlines

It was the first cargo-only flight for American since 1984. The world's largest airline formerly operated cargo flights on Boeing 747 freighters, the only time it flew the plane.

American Airlines Boeing 747
An American Airlines Boeing 747.

Bettmann/Getty

Source: American Airlines

Each pallet of cargo makes up for lost passenger revenue in the cabin above, where only a skeleton crew of required pilots and flight attendants will stay.

American Airlines cargo-only flight
Cargo being brought to an American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER chartered for a cargo-only flight.

Tom Pennington/Getty

Source: American Airlines

Four cargo flights in total flew between Dallas and Frankfurt between March 20 and March 24, each carrying over 100,000 pounds of cargo.

American Airlines cargo-only flight
Cargo being brought to an American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER chartered for a cargo-only flight.

Tom Pennington/Getty

Source: American Airlines

The payload consisted of much-needed medical supplies but also military mail, packages, and other necessities deployed for use during the pandemic.

American Airlines cargo-only flight
Cargo being brought to an American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER chartered for a cargo-only flight.

Tom Pennington/Getty

Source: American Airlines

Flying cargo keeps some of American's wide-bodies flying and not condemned to sit idle on a runway awaiting the end of this crisis.

FILE PHOTO: American Airlines passenger planes crowd a runway where they are parked due to flight reductions made to slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Nick Oxford
American Airlines passenger planes crowd a runway in Tulsa.

Reuters

Read More: Delta, American, and other airlines are parking planes on closed runways at major airports as carriers struggle to store grounded airliners

United Airlines operated cargo-only flights of its own, flying its first from Chicago to Frankfurt on March 19. The route is typically popular amongst travelers as Chicago is known for its ancestral ties to Germany and Frankfurt is an intercontinental hub for United's Star Alliance partner Lufthansa,

United Airlines cargo-only flights
Cargo being loaded onto a United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner chartered for a cargo-only flight.

United Airlines

Source: United Airlines

United deployed two of its largest aircraft for the task, one being the Boeing 787 Dreamliner...

United Airlines
A United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

David McNew/Getty Images

Source: United Airlines

The other being the 777-300ER, the largest aircraft in United's fleet, similar to American Airlines.

United Airlines Boeing 777-300ER
A United Airlines Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Kenken_spotter / Shutterstock.com

Source: United Airlines

United stated on March 22 that it would be flying 40 cargo flights per week carrying COVID-19 necessities as well as military mail.

United Airlines cargo-only flights
Cargo being loaded onto a United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner chartered for a cargo-only flight.

United Airlines

Source: United Airlines

A key destination for United's cargo charters is Guam, an existing United hub home to two key major US military bases. The flights carried military mail as well as fresh food and produce.

united airlines
A United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Source: United Airlines

Delta Air Lines is finding itself in new territory as well, trading in some passenger flights for cargo-only charters to Europe, Asia, and even Australia.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 777
A Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200.

James D. Morgan/Getty

Source: Delta Air Lines

The airline's new cargo division kicked off operations on March 24 with a flight from Dublin to Atlanta carrying medical supplies, with flights expanding to cities including Amsterdam, Sydney, and Shanghai.

Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines planes in Salt Lake City, Utah.

REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Source: Delta Air Lines

Delta has designated its largest aircraft to the task including the Airbus A350-900 XWB capable of carrying 49 tons of cargo...

Delta Air Lines Airbus A350
A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 XWB.

GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty

Source: Delta Air Lines

And Boeing 777-200 carrying 42 tons.

Delta Boeing 777-200LR
A Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200.

AP

Source: Delta Air Lines

US mail is also a priority for these flights as letters and packages that often fly in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft need a way to get to their intended destination.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A350
A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 XWB.

viper-zero / Shutterstock.com

Source: Delta Air Lines

Southwest Airlines became the latest US airline to enter the cargo realm as a reduced flying schedule opened up availability on its fleet of Boeing 737s.

southwest airlines
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737.

LM Otero/AP

Source: Southwest Airlines

The Dallas-based airline has a cargo division but has never operated a cargo-only flight in its near-50-year history, until recently when its aircraft were chartered for that specific reason.

Southwest Airlines
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737.

Chris Parypa Photography/shutterstock

Source: Southwest Airlines

The narrow-body aircraft don't have as much cargo carrying capacity as the wide-bodies in use with American, Delta, and United but the airline has seen demand for service.

southwest airlines
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

Source: Southwest Airlines

"We're looking forward to working with our cargo customers and potential nonprofit organizations to move supplies needed to fight the pandemic to the communities that need it the most," an airline spokesperson told Business Insider in an email.

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 special livery
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737.

Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com

Southwest was largely spared in the outset of the COVID-19 crisis as its network is primary domestic-focused but has since cut its schedule as the pandemic worsened. The cargo-only charter flights keep Southwest's planes in the air instead of rotting on the ground.

Southwest Airlines 737
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737.

Robert Alexander/Getty Images

The trend is not only limited to US airlines as long-haul airlines around the world including the UK's Virgin Atlantic have resorted to cargo-only flying as a way to keep their birds flying while transporting valuable necessities back to their homelands.

Virgin Atlantic cargo-only flights
A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Virgin Atlantic Airways

Source: Virgin Group

Using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, Virgin has been flying cargo-only flights across its network to cities as close as New York and far as Shanghai to bring supplies to the UK's National Health Service.

Virgin Atlantic cargo-only flights
A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner used as a cargo charter.

Virgin Atlantic Airways

Source: Virgin Group and Virgin Atlantic

Like in many industries affected by COVID-19, airlines are adapting to the new conditions brought on by this crisis while also helping fight the virus through the new cargo-only flights.

JFK Airport
JFK Airport in New York.

Mark Lennihan/AP

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