Packed with Cargo Instead of People
An aircraft being loaded at Keflavík International Airport.
Tons of cargo are being transported to the US by Icelandair’s passenger jets, Morgunblaðið reports. “We’re stuffing up to 20 tons of cargo on board Boeing 767 jets, using space that otherwise would be filled with passengers’ baggage, since our passengers are much fewer than before,” states Gunnar Már Sigurðsson, CEO of Icelandair Cargo. “We manage to fit 10 tons of cargo on board Boeing 757 aircraft. This is an unusual situation.”
In addition, the company has added special cargo flights to Boston. Asked if it’s under consideration to transport cargo alone on board passenger jets, Gunnar responds that anything is under consideration, given the situation. Every airline is looking into this possibility, he states.
Norwegians, he adds, are looking for ways to get their farm-raised salmon to market. They have asked Icelandair Cargo for solutions in that regard, but no decisions have been made.
Finally, there are signs that China is opening its market to salmon products again, after having been closed since the beginning of the year, due to measures taken by Chinese authorities to stop the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Sigurður Pétursson, managing director of Arctic Fish states that China may start purchasing salmon this week, but he is not aware of any orders having been confirmed.
