Decrease in cargo at Memphis International tracks after FedEx dropped USPS contract
A FedEx plane passes low over Shelby Drive as it lands at Memphis International Airport. Since FedEx stopped carrying the U.S. Mail in late September, Memphis International is seeing 60 fewer planes landing a day. (Jim Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
Daytime skies are quieter in Memphis since FedEx stopped carrying the U.S. Mail in late September, resulting in about 60 fewer planes landing a day.
In October alone, that meant about 96 million fewer pounds of cargo were handled at Memphis International Airport, down nearly 14% from last year, according to data Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority reports to the federal government.
The marked downshift in cargo started in September — mostly at the FedEx hub — when volumes decreased more than 12%, or nearly 89 million pounds.
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FedEx United States Postal Service Bruce Chan Donald Broughton Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
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Jane Roberts
Longtime journalist Jane Roberts is a Minnesotan by birth and a Memphian by choice. She's lived and reported in the city more than two decades. She covers business news and features for The Daily Memphian.
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