Airlines mull cargo in passenger cabinsNEW CONSIDERATIONS: An airline manager said the idea is tempting, as demand for air cargo is strong, but issues such as training loaders would need to be addressedBy Kao Shih-ching / Staff reporterTaiwanese airlines might repurpose passenger jets to carry cargo in their cabins to offset lost revenue amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Airlines are considering applying to the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) for permission to transport cargo in passenger cabins after StarLux Airlines Co (星宇航空) last month became the first among the nation’s airlines to offer cargo-only flights using the normal cargo holds of its three Airbus SE A321neo passenger jets. “We are considering whether to increase our capacity by putting cargo on passenger seats,” Starlux spokesman Nieh Kuo-wei (聶國維) told the Taipei Times by telephone. They are assessing whether to boost capacity by using passenger seats, with a decision to be made after the CAA provides official documents. The regulator is expected to release documents and guidelines for the safe transportation of cargo in passenger cabins today, CAA Flight Standards Division director Clark Lin (林俊良) said by telephone.

Source: Taipei Times April 06, 2020 15:56 UTC