Vaccine logistics can give air cargo sector a much-needed shot in the arm

AIR freight has been an important lifeline for the global aviation industry during the pandemic, and Changi Airport too has seen its weekly cargo flights triple to more than 950 flights compared to end-2019.

This could rise further in the new year, with the air cargo community in Singapore now declaring itself ready for the business of transporting highly temperature-sensitive Covid-19 vaccines.

But considering the fact that cargo contributed just 12 per cent to global airline revenue in 2019, according to the International Air Transport Association, it's unlikely the revenue boost from vaccine transportation can bring Singapore Airlines (SIA) or Changi Airport Group (CAG) back in the black.