European airlines modify aircraft for cargo

[caption id="attachment_82692" align="alignright" width="460"] British Airways reconfigured the two 777-200ERs in Cardiff. (Photo: IAG Cargo)[/caption] The move to reconfigure passenger aircraft gained even more traction this week, with Air France, British Airways and Swiss International Air Lines all removing seats from 777s to create more capacity for cargo. All three had already been loading cargo onto the seats of their 777s. Air France has completed the reconfiguration of a 777-300ER by removing only the center seat blocks from the economy sections. The aircraft made its first flight in its new cargo configuration from Paris (CDG) to Los Angeles (LAX) and took off from CDG on May 28 for Shanghai (PVG). The carrier told Air Cargo World it expects to reconfigure three more 777-300ERs. British Airways reconfigured two 777-200ERs at its maintenance base in Cardiff (CWL), adding 100 cubic meters of cargo space per aircraft. The first aircraft returned to London (LHR) on May 22, while the second went to CWL that same day and returned to LHR on May 27. The carrier said the first flight with the cargo configuration will be on May 29, to collect personal protective equipment from Beijing (PEK) for the U.K.’s National Health Service. [caption id="attachment_82693" align="alignleft" width="500"] Swiss International Air Lines is reconfiguring three 777-300ERs. (Photo: Swiss)[/caption] Meanwhile, Swiss International Air Lines said it is currently reconfiguring three of its twelve 777-300ERs by removing all economy seating, following an announcement in late April that it was considering doing so . The aircraft are being worked on by the airline’s own Technical Division in Zurich (ZRH) and will each gain 12 tonnes of cargo capacity. Air France, British Airways and Swiss now join Aegean Airlines, Air Belgium, Austrian Airlines , Blue Air, Condor, Finnair , Hi Fly, Icelandair, Lufthansa, Maleth-Aero, SkyUp Airlines, SmartLynx Airlines, and TAP Air Portugal as European operators of reconfigured passenger freighters. Worldwide, around 120 aircraft across more than thirty carriers have now been reconfigured for cargo operations, based on research by our sister site Cargo Facts .

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