Cargo was the main driver of record financial results for Air Charter Service (ACS), said the UK-based international broker. The company achieved sales of over $1.2 billion in the financial year ending January 2021, thanks largely to the effect of the Covid pandemic.
With up to 80% of air freight usually travelling in the belly of scheduled passenger aircraft, the cancellation of many passenger flights meant that charter solutions were needed to compensate, and ACS was in one of the strongest positions to provide them.
ACS moved a large amount of goods from China including PPE and test kits and, later on, more general cargo from reopening factories, through often overwhelmed airports. As well as using dedicated freighters, ACS’ group charter division also stepped in to source passenger aircraft for use as bellyhold freighters and, in some cases using space in the passenger cabin.