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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Jane Roberts
Jane Roberts has reported in Memphis for more than 20 years. As a senior member of The Daily Memphian staff, she was assigned to the medical beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has done in-depth work on other medical issues facing our community, including shortages of specialists in local hospitals. She covered K-12 education here for years and later the region’s transportation sector, including Memphis International Airport and FedEx Corp.
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