United Airlines surpasses 5,000 cargo-only flights since March

United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) has operated more than 5,000 cargo-only flights since March 19, a significant milestone for an airline where passenger service dominated before the pandemic.

The passenger freighters have transported more than 170 million pounds of cargo, including medical supplies for the COVID-19 response, food aid and commodities for U.S. military bases, United said Wednesday on its blog.

The Chicago-based carrier quickly switched gears to transition Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft idled by the pandemic shutdown into dedicated cargo service, resulting in a 36% jump in second-quarter cargo revenue compared to 2019. It is able to maximize capacity on some flights by placing mail and light boxes in the seats and overhead bins. Cargo, which represented more than a quarter of total revenue, went from a little-recognized side business to a major component propping up the company during a crisis.

“United has played a critical role in keeping global supply chains stable during the pandemic as we deliver urgently needed goods around the world. These past few months have created challenges that I have never seen in my 30-plus years of experience working within the air cargo and freight forwarding industry,” United Cargo President Jan Krems said. “However, I’m proud of our teams for staying focused on our mission to provide high-quality service and to keep our customers connected with the goods they need most.”