Published on : Monday, August 22, 2016
Logistics Management magazine has selected Alaska Air Cargo as the No. 1 cargo carrier as part of its annual Quest for Quality awards.
This annual reader survey rates cargo providers on five measures of performance: on-time performance, value, information technology, customer service and equipment/operations. Of the 11 international and domestic air cargo carriers rated, Alaska Air Cargo received a weighted score of 51.32, exceeding the average score in every category.
“As the only major U.S. carrier to operate a freighter, Alaska Air Cargo plays a critical role in moving freight throughout the country,” said Jason Berry, managing director of Alaska Air Cargo. “This recognition is a credit to our hard working employees for their commitment to excellence. As we work to transform our cargo business with the addition of three freighters next year, we expect to increase cargo shipping capacity by 15 percent, the equivalent of over 600 planes full of goods annually.”
Alaska Air Cargo ships freight on its fleet of five Boeing 737-400 combination passenger and cargo aircraft in addition to one Boeing 737-400 all-cargo aircraft. In 2017, Alaska Air Cargo will take delivery of three 737-700 passenger aircraft that will be retrofitted to transport cargo and added to its fleet as freighters. These new freighters will replace the existing cargo fleet by the end of 2017 with the first aircraft expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2017.
The transition to an all-freighter cargo fleet and new cargo loading system will allow for a greater range of cargo, including heavier, oversized items up to 180 inches and a weight of over 10,000 pounds that cannot ship on the existing fleet. In addition, the new dedicated freighters will have a flight schedule that is specifically designed around cargo demand which will further increase reliability. The fuel efficient 737-700s will be able to fly more than 3,200 nautical miles nonstop, which is 1,000 miles beyond the range of a 737-400.
The new freighters are part of a multitude of changes at Alaska Air Cargo including an all-in pricing system introduced in March 2016, as well as expanded service to 10 new markets over the last year. By the end of 2017, Alaska Air Cargo will also launch a new online booking system which will allow customers to pre-book shipments and save shipping profiles, making the entire process more hassle free. In addition, several business processes have been automated, greatly reducing the time it takes to process a shipment.
Source:- Alaska Air
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