Despite COVID-19’s destructive impact on the travel and tourism sectors of the economy, e-commerce has seen an unprecedented boost. That boost is among the factors that led to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport seeing a record setting amount of cargo in 2020.
There was a 16% increase over the previous record-setting volumes in 2019, for a total of 3.48 million tons of air cargo during the year.
According to a news release issued by the airport, they are looking to further their cargo advantages with the coupling of newly received passenger transfer flights. The U.S. Department of Transportation granted ANC passenger transfer rights that mirror the current cargo transfer rights.
Airport Director Jim Szczesniak: “We expect our cargo numbers to remain strong into 2021; as the air cargo industry continues to recognize the benefits and efficiencies of ANC; as e-commerce shopping becomes routine; as international travel restrictions continue to displace belly cargo. …there is a substantial revenue opportunity for passenger airlines to utilize ANC. For example, India to the Westcoast of North America nonstop has a significant belly cargo weight penalty—a stop at ANC eliminates that penalty and allows for more than $70,000 in additional cargo revenue for each flight.”
The airport’s news release noted that they are attempting to cement their place as ‘The Center of the Air Cargo World,’ as ANC is only 9.5 hours from 90% of the industrialized world, with more than 200 wide-body freighter operations taking place every day.