air cargo

Those are among the kinds of goods shipped by the country’s complex air cargo system that could be significantly delayed following the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to reduce flight capacity at 40 major airports, including LAX, according to logistic experts.

The air cargo system generally carries time-sensitive and high-value cargo such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices and tech components whose speed of delivery takes precedence over cost.

“It’s just at the beginning. If this lasts for a few days, you’re going to see significant impact throughout the air cargo supply chain,” he said.

Less affected, he said, would be air cargo companies such as UPS that have their own fleet of planes and can fly at night outside the FAA flight restrictions that run from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

David Gibson, president of the Los Angeles Air Cargo Assn., said so far the FAA order has not disrupted international flights arriving in the U.S. as airlines adjust their operations domestically.