벨리 카고 (Belly Cargo) (Belly Cargo)

What Is Belly Cargo?

Belly cargo refers to freight transported in the lower hold of a passenger aircraft — the space beneath the cabin floor that is not accessible to passengers. On virtually every commercial passenger flight, this space is used simultaneously for checked baggage and for revenue-generating cargo shipments. Belly cargo is a significant supplementary revenue stream for passenger airlines, often contributing 5–15% of total revenue on long-haul widebody routes.

How It Works

The lower hold of a widebody aircraft is divided into forward and aft cargo compartments. These compartments accept unit load devices (ULDs) — standardized LD-3 containers on narrow-body widebodies and LD-3 or LD-7 pallets on larger jets — as well as bulk cargo loaded piece by piece. Airlines sell belly cargo capacity to freight forwarders and integrators, who consolidate shipments from multiple shippers into single ULDs. The cargo is then transferred to the aircraft's lower holds by ground crews using belt loaders, high-loaders, and ULD transporters.

• Widebody advantage: Aircraft like the Boeing 787, Airbus A350, and A380 offer substantial lower-hold volume, making belly freight economically attractive.
• Narrow-body limits: A320-family and 737-family aircraft have smaller, cylindrical lower holds accommodating only bulk cargo or small containers.
• Priority conflict: Checked baggage always takes precedence; cargo is offloaded if weight limits are reached.

Key Aircraft Types

The Boeing 777-300ER is prized for its enormous lower hold capacity — up to 24 LD-3 containers — making it a backbone of belly freight on high-density international routes. The Airbus A380 can carry 38 LD-3s in its lower decks. The Boeing 787-9 and A350-900 are popular on thinner long-haul routes where their efficient belly capacity supports profitable cargo loads. Dedicated freighters carry no passengers and therefore offer far greater payload, but belly cargo utilizes capacity that would otherwise fly empty.

Industry Significance

Belly cargo accounts for roughly 45% of global air freight volume. During normal operations, it benefits from the existing flight network of passenger airlines, providing fast transit times without requiring dedicated freighter rotations. However, belly cargo capacity is inherently dependent on passenger demand — when travel collapses (as during COVID-19), belly capacity disappears almost overnight. This vulnerability accelerated airline investment in dedicated freighters and combi aircraft as more resilient cargo platforms.