Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

Boeing’s newly released 2020 World Air Cargo Forecast anticipates more than 60 percent fleet growth over 20 years, driven largely by market requirements for medical supply transport and continuing e-commerce growth.

 


Enabled by a rebound in global trade and long-term growth, Boeing’s forecast projects a demand for 2,430 freighters over the next 20 years, including 930 new production freighters and 1,500 freighters converted from passenger airplanes.

 


According to the new forecast, world air cargo traffic will grow at 4 percent annually over the next 20 years. Growing at double-digit rates prior to the pandemic, e-commerce has accelerated its effect on the air cargo market as more businesses shifted to online selling platforms. As a result, express carriers saw a 14 percent increase in traffic through September compared with the same period last year.

 


Meanwhile, a significant decline in belly capacity due to a steep drop in passenger traffic caused by the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a 13 percent increase in dedicated freighter capacity. Still, as total capacity declined by 25 percent, freight operators saw yields increase 42 percent from January through September.

 


So far in 2020, about 200 airlines used more than 2,000 passenger widebody aircraft for cargo-only operations to generate cash flow and support global supply chains. Those so-called passenger freighters have compensated for some of the capacity shortfall and, in some cases, generated quarterly profits for carriers despite minimal passenger operations.

 


“Freighter operators have been in a unique position in 2020 to meet market requirements for speed, reliability, and security, transporting medical supplies and other goods for people and communities around the world,” said Boeing vice president of commercial marketing Darren Hulst. “Looking ahead, dedicated freighters will be even more critical to compete in air cargo markets; they carry more than half of air cargo traffic, and airlines operating them earn nearly 90 percent of air cargo industry revenue.”

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

Boeing Sees Big Demand for Freighters amid E-commerce Expansion

A newly released cargo forecast from Boeing projects more than a 60 percent growth in the freighter fleet by 2040.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

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News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

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News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

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