Full services air carriers specialize in the transportation of cargo, with the total capacity of the aircraft dedicated to the carriage of goods. They are also known as freighter aircraft since they are specifically designed to transport goods rather than passengers. These carriers sometimes operate domestically but mainly transport goods over long distances (Baxter, 2018). Many shippers prefer to use full-service air carriers because they usually have products in bulk that would otherwise be difficult to transport with passenger airplanes. Freighter aircraft are crucial to both the aviation industry and the global economy (Baxter, 2018). As such, they have their advantages and disadvantages.
One of the advantages of full-service air carriers is their ease of access. Unlike other forms of transportation, these carriers can operate on a global scale. As a result, many shippers prefer this mode of transportation since it also provides door-to-door delivery of goods. Also, freighter aircraft offer delivery services on a timely basis since they are not subject to route stops like passenger aircraft. Their high-speed delivery is suitable for the carriage of urgent goods as well as perishables (Wang, 2017). Shippers also prefer this mode of transport as compared to others because freighter carriers ensure there is minimal to no damage at all of the goods. Air transport is seamless and cannot be affected by poor roads or accidents.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Despite these advantages, full-service air carriers also have their fair share of disadvantages. The biggest demerit of this mode is that it is costly. It is considered to be the most expensive means of shipping goods internationally, and it is not suitable for shippers who deal with low-value goods (Baxter, 2018). Besides, since it is usually used to transport high-value goods, one small malfunction of the aircraft due to adverse weather conditions can cause an enormous loss; thus, freighter carriers are also considered to be very risky. Sometimes these carriers can be very unreliable and inconvenient when they are delayed at the airport because of escalating security concerns. They are also not accessible to all regions because of the high value of the infrastructure of both the aircraft and airports (Wang, 2017). Not all countries can afford such huge public investments. In conclusion, freighter aircraft are very dependable in terms of shipping huge volumes of goods. They are also a significant investment that, once undertaken, should be run very efficiently, failure to which can cause massive losses.
References
Baxter, G., Srisaeng, P., & Wild, G. (2018). The role of freighter aircraft in a full-service network airline air freight services: The case of Qantas Freight. MAD-Magazine of Aviation Development , 6 (4), 28-51.
Wang, F., Zhuo, X., & Niu, B. (2017). Strategic entry to regional air cargo market under joint competition of demand and promised delivery time. Transportation Research Part B: Methodological , 104 , 317-336.
