Canadian carriers support domestic e-commerce growth with freighter expansions

Canada-based airlines are supporting the rapid e-commerce growth in the country through new freighter additions and connectivity expansions. Calgary-based combination carrier WestJet is planning to launch dedicated cargo services to primarily support Canada’s growing e-commerce demand using four converted 737-800 freighters. All four freighters are expected to be in operation by the end of the second quarter of 2022. [caption id="attachment_64893" align="alignright" width="463"] Photo/Bloomberg[/caption] While e-commerce within Canada began growing prior to the pandemic, the growth rates have accelerated since then, Charles Duncan, executive vice president of cargo at WestJet, told Air Cargo World . Similarly, Amazon is seeking to serve the expanding demand for e-commerce goods in the country. In April, the e-commerce giant expanded its relationship with Cargojet , a Canadian ACMI and charter operator, for Amazon Air operations within Canada. Cargojet will operate two Amazon-owned 767 freighters, one of which began operations connecting Hamilton (YHM) and Vancouver (YVR) Wednesday, according to flight-tracking software. The four-year agreement includes three, two-year renewal options. While WestJet’s new freighter network will be built around domestic e-commerce demand, the freighters are expected to also transport general cargo and other commodities, as well seasonal shipments and perishables, said Duncan. “In addition to [e-commerce], we have so many perishables [including] seafood products from both the east and west coasts of Canada … Also, cherry [exports] from British Columbia on the western side of country.” Duncan noted that WestJet has several different network plans sketched out and is also looking to facilitate discussions with its customers regarding how they would like the network to look. "By having some of these 737-800 freighters in the market, they’re relatively small compared to wide-body and other freighters that are being used heavily in the Canadian marketplace,” said Duncan. “We think that gives us quite a bit of flexibility to both serve smaller cities and off-peak demand cycles, or just to add frequency in markets, so it gives us a much more flexible freighter to deploy in the market relative to what’s in place today.” Montreal-based Air Canada Cargo has also been focused on expansions using both passenger belly capacity and freighters. While WestJet is looking to expand its domestic connectivity, Air Canada Cargo is focusing its larger, newly converted 767 freighters toward international destinations , including Quito (UIO) and Lima (LIM), starting in October. Additional international destinations are expected to start in early 2022, as more freighters enter service. In June, Air Canada expanded its network with thrice-weekly passenger service with cargo capacity between Montreal (YUL) and Cairo (CAI), Egypt . Although WestJet’s connectivity is expected to be primarily domestic, Duncan noted that the freighters will be available to fly trans-border routes into the U.S, as well as Mexico and the Caribbean.

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