Cargo flights provided a solution this year for producers of consumer electronics, machine parts and toys that struggled to move goods along rails and through ports. Then the airports got clogged.
Labor shortages at air-cargo hubs like Chicago O’Hare International Airport during the fall have disrupted operations for the ground-handling companies that unload planes, and left goods piling up. Airlines, handlers and freight companies said they are working to speed up loading and security checks, tapping warehouse robots and trained sniffer dogs.