Summary
- Amerijet joins other cargo airlines in cutting back operations as air cargo industry faces downturn and recent normal.
- Amerijet parks a few of its freighter fleet as a consequence of higher costs, lower demand, and end of major contracts.
- Cargo industry struggles after pandemic bubble bursts, with layoffs and cutbacks by express shippers.
After years of rapid fleet expansion, Amerijet has joined the ranks of cargo airlines which are cutting back their operations at the top of 2023 because the air cargo industry tries to search out a brand new normal. The Miami-based airline has begun to park a few of its freighter fleet in response to the downturn within the air cargo market.
A recent report by Frightwaves sites an Amerijet internal memo that indicates the airline was seeking to park one in every of its freighters and defer heavy maintenance on two other aircraft because the airline struggles with higher cost, lower demand, and the top of two major contracts with the U.S Postal Service and DHL Express.
Amerijet Fleet Movement
Amerijet operates a fleet of twenty-two aircraft, operating each 767s and 757s. Amerijet has six 757s in total, which the airline began acquiring in 2021 after the airline had retired its 727 fleet. In line with data available on Flightradar24.com, at the very least two 757-200s, N286GB and N818NH, have remained parked since April and October, respectively. Each of those freighters are operated on lease and were converted by Precision Aircraft Solutions after serving multiple airlines in passenger service.
No less than two of Amerijets 767 freighters, N657GT and N659GT, are currently parked in Roswell (ROW), where they’ve remained since July. Two other 767s, N743AX and N274CM, have returned home to Air Transport Servies Group (ATSG) in Wilmington (ILN), where they’ve remained parked since May and September. A Fourth 767, N349CM, has remained parked in Mexico City (MEX) since November twenty second.
Photo: Amerijet
It’s unclear what number of aircraft of Amerijet’s fleet might want to remain parked or what other cost-cutting measures the airline might want to take while its revenues decline. Amerijet was unable to comment at press time.
Amerijet operates at the very least ten of its 767 freighters on lease from ATSG’s leasing subsidy Cargo Aircraft management. Amerijet has dry-leased freighters from CAM since 2010, with leases running anywhere between five and ten years, based on statements from ATSG.
Trouble within the Cargo industry
The news comes two months after Amerijet’s Chief Financial Officer, Joe Mozzali, stepped in as Chief Executive Officer following the departure of Tim Strauss. Mozzali had only grow to be CEO after serving as CFO for a brief seven months. For his part, Strauss’s year-long period as CEO was marked with turbulence as he attempted to go away the airline once before in 2021.
Amerijet’s problems aren’t occurring in a vacuum, as several cargo airlines have struggled after the bubble of demand for dedicated freighters from the COVID-19 pandemic popped with the return of belly capability in passenger airlines. Amerijet’s customer DHL joins FedEx, and UPS within the ranks of express shippers who’ve announced layoffs and cutbacks.
Photo: Amerijet
Meanwhile, ATSG, for its part, recently had a change in leadership itself as its strategy officer, Mike Berger stepped into the role of President for the corporate.
While the cargo industry has stagnated over the past few months, declines should not expected to be long-term, and a couple of airlines have continued to grow. Recently, data from WorldACD recently indicated strong market performance within the Asia-Pacific region, while Boeing and Airbus have shown forecasts for growth in demand for each factory recent, and converted freighters in the subsequent decade. Meanwhile, each Cathay Pacific and Atlas Air made headlines up to now few days by placing major orders for brand spanking new freighter aircraft from Boeing and Airbus.
What do you’re thinking that of Amerijet’s decision to park its freighters? Is that this an issue for Amerijet or an issue for the entire cargo industry? Tell us within the comments.