FEMA expands coronavirus relief flights to more airports

National Airlines used a passenger plane for this shipment of face masks. (Photo: Pittsburgh International Airport)

Project Airbridge, the airlift of personal protective equipment and medical supplies coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is touching more airports and even using passenger aircraft as the flow of inbound relief supplies continues to increase.

In recent days, cargo flights have landed at Pittsburgh International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), according to FEMA and the airport authorities. Previously, major airports around the country have been the primary gateways for the supply mission, but flights have also touched down at less-known, but cargo-friendly airports such as Rockford, near Chicago, and Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio.

Pittsburgh International Airport, which is also less congested during normal times than big hubs, has handled two FEMA flights operated by National Airlines. The charter operator has been using Boeing 747-400 all-cargo planes for Project Airbridge flights, but arrived on Saturday, April 25, with one of its Boeing 757 passenger jets carrying nearly 150,000 N95 masks. Boxes of material were carried in the passenger cabin, as well as the lower cargo hold.

National Airlines’ officials say the passenger jet was deployed because its freighters are in such high demand. Repurposing passenger planes for cargo service is a growing industry trend driven by the massive reduction in passenger operations due to coronavirus concerns, but it’s the first time a passenger plane has been used for a special cargo flight in the FEMA program.

The masks  were offloaded and placed on a truck just over an hour after landing. Pittsburgh Airport officials say speed is one of the airport’s calling cards in normal times because cargo flights can get more priority than at some big airports.

To continue reading this article...

Already have an account? Sign In

Create a Free Account

No payment required

By signing up with your email, you will receive newsletters, special offers, and occasional third-party promotions from FreightWaves.com and its family of brands.

    Need Help? Contact Us

    Eric Kulisch

    Eric is the Supply Chain and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com