What remains clear is that 2023 is going to be the year that the COVID cargo boom begins to die down for U.S. carrier FedEx.
Using data from RadarBox.com, we can see a substantial drop in flights operated compared to 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Without further ado, let’s get into it…
The COVID Cargo Numbers Have Dropped for FedEx…
From May 30-June 6, FedEx operated 567 flights, which is a drop of 25.98% compared to the same period last year.
Such a figure is actually lower than 2019’s levels, although there is more of a consistency in the table that you will see below:
| Date | 2019 Numbers | 2020 Numbers | 2021 Numbers | 2022 Numbers | 2023 Numbers | Percentage Difference (2023 vs. 2022) |
| May 2-9 | 695 movements | 738 movements | 834 movements | 768 movements | 643 movements | -16.28% |
| May 9-16 | 694 movements | 733 movements | 814 movements | 771 movements | 662 movements | -14.14% |
| May 16-23 | 691 movements | 733 movements | 805 movements | 762 movements | 651 movements | -14.57% |
| May 23-30 | 605 movements | 650 movements | 811 movements | 767 movements | 656 movements | -14.47% |
It is clear from this table that the percentage drops are significant and are representative of consumers coming out of the COVID pandemic not ordering as much through e-commerce.
What Will This Mean For The Operator?
What remains clear is that the golden years of COVID for cargo carriers like FedEx have come to an end, with there now needing to be a new solution in the form of contracts moving forward.
Looking ahead, this could have long-term implications, especially if more staff were needed to accommodate this additional cargo capacity during the pandemic.
For now, all eyes are on the carrier to see what is next for them, and could they actually get those flight numbers back up to COVID-era levels again?
