More reconfigured A330 pax freighters join active fleet

The A330 passenger-freighter fleet continues to grow, even as carriers gradually restore more belly capacity to the market. AELF FlightService has now put a fourth A330-200 (466, ex-TAM) into cargo-only service, joining three other A330-200s (472, 700 and 871) without seats that it calls “auxiliary freighters.” [caption id="attachment_416737" align="alignright" width="560"] Unit 466 recently completed maintenance in Naples. (Photo/AELF FlightService)[/caption] In total, operators have reconfigured around seventy A330s since March 2020, according to Cargo Facts data . AELF FlightService told Cargo Facts that unit 466 will operate on behalf of various charter companies, starting with U.K.-based charter broker 26Aviation. Meanwhile, unit 472 (ex-I-Fly) is flying on behalf of India-based SpiceJet and unit 871 (ex-Airbus) has been operating on an ACMI basis for Ukraine-based Windrose Airlines and Ukraine’s postal service. Unit 466, which began flying in October 2021, had arrived at the Atitech facility in Naples (NAP) in May 2021 for maintenance, like AELF’s three other A330s. The four A330-200s, ranging from a build year of 2002 to 2007, all have General Electric CF6-80E1 engines and are operated by Malta-based Maleth-Aero, in which AELF and other partners acquired a controlling stake toward the end of 2020. Maleth currently also has four reconfigured A340-600s. AELF FlightService, an affiliate of Aircraft Engine Lease Finance, began its new ACMI and charter business in late 2020 with unit 700 (ex-AtlasGlobal), flying from Kyiv (KBP) to New York (JFK) and Hong Kong (HKG) for Windrose. AELF FlightService, which also owns two 767-300ERs (26260 and 26389, both ex-Blue Panorama), told Cargo Facts that it continues to consider and evaluate converting its aircraft into full freighters. Apart from AELF FlightService’s unit 466, other A330s are also about to begin flying without their seats. SmartLynx, which said in May 2021 that it will lease five reconfigured A330-300s , recently took delivery of the fifth (1531, ex-Philippine Airlines) and sent it to the STS Aviation Services facility in Birmingham (BHX), U.K. on Oct. 4. Three units (937, 954 and 1382) are already in service, while a fourth (908) is in Chateauroux (CHR), France. Additionally, Lithuania-based Heston Airlines recently took delivery of the first of two A330-200s (1014, ex-Aeroflot), on lease from Avolon, that it intends to fly without seats, and San Marino Executive Aviation expects to start operating a second reconfigured A330-300 (356, ex-Sunclass Airlines) on a CMI basis for Turkey-based ULS Airlines. Cargo Facts Symposium, taking place LIVE Oct. 25-27 at the Wynn Las Vegas, is the essential event for stakeholders in the air cargo industry. Learn more and register at www.cargofactssymposium.com .

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