O'Hare Cargo Pains...Can PIA Benefit?

The coronavirus scare has caused predictable congestion at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. This article explains the issues, and how nearby Rockford is benefitting. 

Limited capacity in commercial airliners has shifted more business to dedicated air cargo firms. This has taxed capacity at O'Hare's outdated freight facilities. Congestion on the ground is expensive in terms of fuel, and delays for customers intolerable.

That is why two freight forwarders -  D. B. Schenker and Senator International - have relocated some air cargo flights to Chicago-Rockford International Airport. 

I've always wondered why Peoria was never able to attract international air cargo service. Caterpillar is a big user of air freight for emergency parts shipments out of its Morton, Illinois facility with shipments bound for distribution centers in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, Japan, etc. There are other local firms that use international air cargo for time-sensitive shipments. 

Local freight volume is insufficient to fill dedicated cargo planes on a daily basis, but that isn't necessary if Peoria was a regular stop rather than a destination for intercontinental flights. Whatever the case, perhaps Peoria International Airport could take advantage of O'Hare's issues and help freight forwarders better serve their customers?

- David P. Jordan