THE air cargo sector is requesting governments exempt all-cargo carriers from certain health and operating rules to facilitate the delivery of medicines, medical equipment and medical supplies needed to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Air cargo is also critical now for transporting food items and online purchases as people stay home to minimise social contact, reported American Shipper.
Airlines and logistics partners maintain that regulatory flexibility is especially important given that shippers are heavily relying on freighter aircraft as airlines cut passenger operations. Since the end of January some 185,000 passenger flights have been cancelled, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The International Air Cargo Association is calling on governments to exempt air cargo operations from any coronavirus travel restrictions to ensure life-saving medical products can be delivered without interruption.
IATA also wants regulators to apply standardised measures for shipments and transport workers designed to protect transport workers from spreading or contracting the disease. It says that air cargo crew members who do not interact with the public should be exempt from 14-day quarantine periods.
WORLD SHIPPING
Air cargo is also critical now for transporting food items and online purchases as people stay home to minimise social contact, reported American Shipper.
Airlines and logistics partners maintain that regulatory flexibility is especially important given that shippers are heavily relying on freighter aircraft as airlines cut passenger operations. Since the end of January some 185,000 passenger flights have been cancelled, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The International Air Cargo Association is calling on governments to exempt air cargo operations from any coronavirus travel restrictions to ensure life-saving medical products can be delivered without interruption.
IATA also wants regulators to apply standardised measures for shipments and transport workers designed to protect transport workers from spreading or contracting the disease. It says that air cargo crew members who do not interact with the public should be exempt from 14-day quarantine periods.
WORLD SHIPPING