Cathay Pacific has resumed cargo services to Pittsburgh Airport starting August 2, using its Boeing 777-300ER passenger planes converted for cargo, in partnership with US-based freight forwarder Unique Logistics.

In September last year, the airline and forwarder started to PIT with 20 flights which ran for 12 weeks. This time the plan is to serve PIT until the end of the year, the airline noted.

The planes will arrive every Monday and Friday and depart the next day. Cargo onboard the aircraft is said to be for the garment industry, which will make its way from Hanoi in Vietnam, with a stop at Cathay’s cargo terminal at Hong Kong airport before making the nonstop flight to PIT.

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The resumed service comes amidst strong demand in the market and capacity congestion at some of the main air hubs and ports which has seen a shift towards secondary hubs. The airport’s location halfway between Chicago and New York makes it an ideal option to move freight in and out of North America.

Unique Logistics said it has secured contracts to operate around 120 such flights from Asia into PIT and other airports in the United States for the rest of 2021, providing much needed air cargo capacity for US importers.

Cathay Pacific is adding much needed cargo space ahead of the peak season as it anticipates further capacity constraints despite more passengers services and belly space seen in US and Europe. In early July, the airline announced that it will transfer two of its 777-300ER passenger aircraft to the HAECO engineering facility in Xiamen for ‘preighter’ modification.