Flexport switches freighter flights to new operator
23 / 07 / 2019
Atlas Air Boeing 747-400F
Freight forwarder Flexport has switched its transpacific air charter operation from Western Global to a service run by Plus Logistics, a Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) subsidiary, and Atlas Air.
A spokesperson for the company said that the switch was made on July 8 without a single missed flight. Atlas Air operates five Boeing 747-400 freighters on behalf of NCA.
The spokesperson explained that the production Boeing 747-400F freighters offered by Atlas are able to carry an extra 10 tons of cargo per flight, which equates to an increase in capacity of around 9% compared with the previous operation.
It also has the ability to carry oversized cargo because of its nose door capability.
There were also some service issues with the previous operation, the company said.
Air Cargo World reports that Flexport has filed a complaint against Western Global, with the court filing claiming there were changes in aircraft type and on-time performance did not meet expectation.
Western Global told the publication that it disputed the claims made in the filing.
Flexport first launched twice-weekly scheduled flights between Hong Kong and Los Angeles in April 2018 through a three-year deal with Western Global.
The forwarder also offers a service between Hong Kong and Chicago O’Hare.
At the time, the company said that the move would allow it to control freight from end to end at a fair and predictable rate as well as guaranteed capacity.
This was not the forwarder’s first foray into cargo flights. In late 2017, the forwarder had chartered capacity as it sought to beat capacity constraints caused by a peak season rush.
