Operating between Sydney and Perth, the first flight left today (Monday 12 December) with approximately 70,000 items of parcels and mail onboard.
The freighter is in addition to increased flights and capacity already being provided for Western Australia.
Supply chain disruption caused by extreme weather and a recent train derailment on the Melbourne to Adelaide route has been disrupting transportation to and from Perth and Australia’s east coast.
Mark Davies, General Manager Premium Services and International at Australia Post, says, “While the weather and derailments might be out of our control, chartering this additional 747 freighter is an extra measure we are committed to taking, to ensure we can really deliver for our customers and the community – especially during this peak seasonal period.”
He adds, “Our team continues to work hard to get deliveries to our Perth customers as soon as possible. This includes increasing our usual airfreight capacity by up to 50% and undertaking weekend deliveries in many locations so that we can continue to deliver for our customers as quickly and safely as possible.”