Scheduled cargo flights with passenger planes gain traction

Virgin will operate routes with greater frequency to key markets in the U.S., Hong Kong and China, India, Israel, and South Africa. Last week it said it would open scheduled cargo service to Tel Aviv, Israel, beginning May 6. It will also operate special cargo flights through Dublin for the first time, enabling Ireland’s medical technology, electronics and other industries to achieve same-day connections to New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Tel Aviv and Johannesburg.

The airline is using 10 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which can carry up to 55 tons of cargo.

The May flying program includes:

• 17 flights a week to/from New York JFK.

• Nine flights a week to/from Los Angeles.

• Twice weekly services from JFK and Los Angeles to Dublin.

• Twice weekly departures from Dublin to London.

• Daily flights to/from Shanghai through July. Capacity is on general sale on flights out of UK, but exclusively used for National Health Service from Shanghai.

• Four flights per week to/from Hong Kong.

• Two weekly flights to/from Tel Aviv.

• Three flights per week to/from Johannesburg.

• The resumption of two weekly flights to/from Mumbai, India.

Virgin’s cargo operation now has 14 aircraft, including four Airbus A350 aircraft capable of carrying up to 49 tons of goods. The airline says it averages 13 flights per week for customers that book the entire plane on an ad hoc basis.

In related news, Lufthansa Airlines is flying two daily flights between Beijing and Munich, with four Airbus A350 aircraft that have been modified to carry boxes of personal protective equipment, mainly masks, in the passenger seats.

It is flying similar missions with six Airbus A330 planes based in Frankfurt, Germany.

The daily cargo flights with passenger jets are expected to continue at least through mid-May, Lufthansa said.

Virgin also is putting cargo in seats.

Other airlines with major scheduled operations include Delta and American.