A sharp fall in passenger flights due to the coronavirus pandemic combined with rising e-commerce demand is setting the stage for tight capacity and a renewed rise in air freight rates heading into the peak Christmas season.

Air cargo is playing an increasingly important role in the fight against COVID-19, as a substantial number of passenger aircraft have been grounded due to the pandemic.

At 09:09 AM June 5 local time, a China Eastern Airlines (CEA) "passenger to cargo "flight MU7263 took off from Jinan to Milan fully loaded with over 20 tons of supplies. This is CEA's 22th flight transporting medical equipment directly from China to Italy.

CAAC recently issued the Notice on Further Improving the Management Policies of Cargo Routes and Flights (hereinafter referred to as the Notice), aiming to boost the capacity of China's air cargo and enhance the international competitiveness of China's logistics industry. According to the Notice, approval processes will be reduced and approval efficiency increased, thereby helping airlines to arrange cargo flights more flexibly and efficiently.

China has seen fast improvement in its international air cargo transport capacity which strongly facilitates the country's international supply chain, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

SF Airlines has selected Thales and ACSS as the exclusive equipment supplier for airborne ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) equipment for its fleet to improve air traffic efficiency and capacity, in an active response to CAAC's (Civil Aviation Administration of China) call for implementation of ADS-B technology.

Some 105 Lufthansa flights per week between Germany and China are taking to the skies carrying vital supplies amid the pandemic battle, said a senior executive with Lufthansa Cargo.

China is working hard to ensure the safety and efficiency of its air cargo sector together with global peers.

On Sunday Apr. 26, India's Hyderabad International Airport welcomed a cargo flight operated by Ethiopian Airlines, which marks the official opening of airport's first cargo route linking Africa, according to Indian media reports.

As demand continues to grow to move essential goods around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, Delta is set to increase its cargo capacity by utilizing storage areas in the passenger cabin.