Alaska’s Ted Stevens Anchorage Airport saw air cargo numbers continue to soar in the third quarter.
Between January and September 2020, 2.5 million tonnes of cargo had touched down at the airport this year alone – a 13.6% increase over the same period in 2019.
“The Anchorage International Airport is shining brighter now more than ever in Alaska’s economy,” said local Governor, Mike Dunleavy. “The airport has been critical to the fight against COVID-19, moving countless pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) and employing thousands of Alaskans during this unprecedented time.”
In the first quarter of 2020 the airport was declared the 38th busiest hub in the US based on aircraft operations. By the second quarter it had become the third busiest. Strong cargo traffic has continued in the third quarter with Ancorage remaining in the top 10 as the eighth busiest airport.
Anchorage Airport Director, Jim Szczesniak, noted that the pandemic has caused a significant shift in the air traffic mix. “Nominal amounts of passenger aircraft are flying, displacing the cargo they once carried in their bellies. It has created considerable demand for freighter space to carry that cargo,” he said.
“This demand for moving cargo displaced by the decrease in passenger aircraft availability is further bolstered by a substantial increase in e-commerce as people across the globe have embraced online shopping throughout the pandemic.”
With more than $500 million of private cargo development and expansion projects on the horizon, the future certainly looks bright for Anchorage.
