The Friday Report Blog: January 20th, 2022

FedEx and Mountain Air Cargo Launch Cessna Freighters

FedEx recently became the first company to utilize Cessna 408 (C408) SkyCourier planes to handle containerized cargo. The global courier is collaborating with Mountain Air Cargo on a feeder aircraft program with two C408 planes. The first flight from Tallahassee to Orlando was completed in early January.

FedEx has also partnered with Idaho-based Empire Airlines to expand its feeder operations. The airline recently received three C408 aircrafts however flight operations have not begun. The C408 aircrafts can carry up to 6,000 lbs. and are equipped with a large cargo door and flat cabin floor that enables superior operational efficiency.

FedEx currently has five C408s and plans to increase its fleet to at least 50 by 2026. The company is in the process of restructuring its Express air network and plans to ground 11 of its larger aircrafts by the end of the year. FedEx hopes the high number of smaller aircrafts will provide more flexible changes in demand.

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DoorDash Launches Package Pick-Up Service

Food delivery giant DoorDash has announced the launch of a package pick-up service that will receive any package a customer wants to mail, and deliver it to UPS, FedEx, or UPS for a $5 fee. Dubbed “the ultimate life hack for returning packages” by the company, DoorDash hopes that the service will help the company capitalize on the record number of expected return shipment from the holiday season.

By using the DoorDash mobile app, customers can select which carrier they want to send their package through, however they must provide their own labels or QR codes. While DashPass members can utilize the service for a flat $3 fee per box, DoorDash is offering each customer one free delivery during the entire month of January.

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Walmart Drones Deliver Over 6,000 Packages in 2022

Big-box retail company Walmart recently revealed that it completed more than 6,000 drone deliveries in 2022. The company has expanded its drone delivery transportation to 36 U.S. stores across seven states – Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. The company hopes to increase its delivery capacity to one million packages in the future.

Walmart’s drone delivery service can successfully deliver 20,000 different products within a 30-minute or less time frame, making it effective at delivering temperature-sensitive products. Customers in Arizona, Florida, and Texas can utilize the service within one mile of participating stores.

The most popular products that the service delivers are Great Value Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, rotisserie chicken, and Bounty Paper Towels.

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