After drastic cutbacks to both its international and domestic service, American Airlines is transitioning to cargo-only flights.
This week, the carrier announced it would be transporting medical supplies, mail, electronics and more as part of its first cargo-only flights in 36 years, utilizing a passenger aircraft grounded due to coronavirus cutbacks.
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“We have a critical role to play in keeping essential goods moving during this unprecedented time, and we are proud to do our part and find ways to continue to serve our customers and our communities,” said Rick Elieson, the president of cargo, and the vice president of international operations at American Airlines, in a press release shared Thursday.
“Challenging times call for creative solutions, and a team of people across the airline has been working nonstop to arrange cargo-only flight options for our customers.”
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American’s first cargo-only flight since 1984 departs Friday from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and will land on Saturday, at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Germany. After returning, the plane — a Boeing 777-300, with a capacity for 100,000 pounds of cargo — will make one more roundtrip flight to FRA.