PASSENGER JET TRANSFORMS INTO CARGO PLANE

[Anchor Lead]

The airline industry is one of the sectors hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Airline companies are resorting to cargo transportation to make up for the losses from plunging passenger numbers. A cargo plane converted from a passenger jet embarked on its first flight to transport freight.

[Pkg]

A dark, narrow and hot airplane cabin. Screws are unfastened and wires are removed in order to take off the seats.

[Soundbite] “One, two, three, O.K.! It's done. One, two, three, O.K.!”

The seats weighing 220 kilograms are moved out and cargo is loaded in their places. Mainly consisting of clothing or sports goods, the cargo left Incheon Airport for Columbus, Ohio in the U.S.

[Soundbite] KIM BYUNG-SUN(KOREAN AIR) : “The cargo compartment of passenger jets can hold about 22 tons of freight. If 269 seats in the cabin are removed, the airplane can carry an additional ten tons.”

Since April, Korean Air has used passenger jets with seats to transport cargo at a monthly average of 420 times. The monthly average volume of cargo transported aboard passenger jets stands at around 12,000 tons. Korea's largest carrier carried out technology reviews and safety inspections to convert passenger jets into cargo planes. Last Tuesday, it obtained conversion approval from the Ministry of Transportation. Asiana Airlines also submitted such an application to the ministry. Korean Air and Asiana Airlines each recorded a surplus of over 100 billion won in the second quarter of this year, thanks to cargo transportation. Low-cost carriers are also turning to cargo transportation. Jin Air is the first domestic budget carrier to convert a large passenger jet into a cargo plane. The conversion will begin in mid-October. However, some experts predict the increased operation of cargo planes will lead to a drop in transportation charges.

[Soundbite] HEO HEE-YOUNG(PROF., KOREA AEROSPACE UNIVERSITY) : “Airline companies have recorded a considerable operating profit with cargo transportation. But the profit is expected to drop gradually, since foreign carriers are also increasing the operation of freight planes.”

Attention is being drawn to whether airline companies will be able to post a surplus in the second half through cargo transportation, despite the prolonged COVID-19 crisis.