The U.S. Department of Transportation has granted expanded international passenger transfer rights to Alaska’s international airports. ANC is already an air cargo powerhouse, and these new passenger rights will allow airlines the ability to use belly cargo to support routes with passenger service overlaid. The rights also allow foreign airlines to better utilize U.S. partner airlines to offer more markets via connections at ANC.
These new passenger transfer rights mirror existing air cargo transfer rights that have been successfully used to help grow ANC into the world’s sixth-busiest air cargo airport.
Governor Mike Dunleavy: “The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) is a key part of Alaska’s economy. Annually, ANC is responsible for $1.8 billion of economic benefit to the state. These new passenger transfer rights are an asset that can help grow Alaska’s economy.”
ANC Airport Director Jim Szczesniak: “We have analyzed passenger aircraft performance and belly cargo capacity, and there is a substantial revenue opportunity for airlines to utilize ANC. For example, Hong Kong to Dallas nonstop has a belly cargo weight penalty—a stop at ANC eliminates that penalty and allows for more than $40,000 in additional cargo revenue for each flight.”
Airports within 6,000 nm of ANC, the typical range for passenger aircraft at maximum belly cargo capacity.
He added: “Transferring passengers and cargo at ANC creates synergies for airlines for more destinations, there are a lot of interesting route combinations that can benefit from routing through ANC.”