This is evident that the demand for Passenger to Freighter (P2F) conversions is becoming more a positive reality in the wake of this pandemic. “In these unprecedented times, we will continue to remain nimble and respond swiftly to market needs,” SQ told FlightGlobal this week.
The airline currently has 27 Boeing 777-300ERs in the fleet, with 18 still in storage. The airline could bring such aircraft out of storage and then use them subsequently to cope with the demand in cargo. Around 33 aircraft in the total SQ fleet are currently running cargo flights only.
Should Others Follow Suit?
SQ said that it “will monitor the market” and deploy aircraft on other routes, meaning that more P2F conversions could take place over the next few months.
With the entire globe currently being subjected to significant spikes in the virus, the need for medical goods is still strong, meaning those who operate the cargo flights will be able to benefit positively.
It is therefore that others should follow suit when looking at the pandemic as the cargo flights can bring in and even replace the short-term downfall in passenger demand.
In the eyes of SQ, this is something it wants to do, especially after reporting its first-half net loss of US$3.5bn due to the effects of the virus.
