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Airlines that became freighter operators in 2021
In a second consecutive year of tight capacity, more carriers across the globe made moves — whether prompted by the pandemic or not — to bring maindeck capacity to the market by either diving into dedicated freighter operations for the first time or, in a few instances, reentering the segment after an extended period.
As 2021 comes to a close, Cargo Facts presents the most significant or interesting carriers that began operating freighters during the year, ranked by aircraft size:
As was the case in 2020, companies continued to reactivate 747Fs. Here, U.A.E.-based Quick Link Aviation Services acquired a 747-400BDSF (27044, ex-Air Atlanta Icelandic) that had been in storage in Kansas City (MCI) for several years and placed it with Elit’Avia Malta for CMI operation.
Elit’Avia had previously only operated business jets.
Air Canada received its first 767-300BDSF (24306) in early December as part of a sale, conversion and leaseback arrangement with Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) and put the aircraft to work almost straight away, flying it from Toronto (YYZ) to Vancouver (YVR) and Frankfurt (FRA).
A second sister aircraft (24305) is undergoing conversion in Tel Aviv (TLV) and will rejoin the fleet around March 2022, while the carrier expects even more 767 freighters beyond that.
Air Canada has not had freighters of its own since the 1990s.
France-based shipping group CMA CGM announced in February that it had purchased four A330-200Fs and would place them with a European airline for CMI operation. Cargo Facts reported that the four aircraft, which according to CMA CGM came into service between 2014 and 2016, are the four that Qatar Airways had previously removed from service.
The European airline turned out to be passenger carrier Air Belgium, which said it would add at least four freighters to its fleet Although Air Belgium’s passenger operations are based in Brussels (BRU) and Charleroi (CRL), the CMA CGM freighters are based in Liege (LGG) to help CMA CGM “connect Europe with the rest of the world,” according to a release from the shipping line.
CMA CGM has since ordered two new 777Fs, set to arrive in 2022, as well as four A350s to fly alongside the 777Fs.
SmartLynx Airlines took delivery of its first A321-200PCF (891, ex-Air Mediterranee) on lease from Vallair and began flying it in June through its Malta-based affiliate on an ACMI basis for DHL Express.
Later, in October, SmartLynx Malta began operating an A321-200P2F (1017, ex-R Airlines), also on lease from Vallair and also for DHL.
Meanwhile, SmartLynx expects to have eight A321Fs by the end of 2022. The company has four units on lease from GTLK Europe currently in conversion and two more that it will lease from Cross Ocean Partners.
SmartLynx, which had previously only been a passenger ACMI and charter airline, has also been using reconfigured A330-300s for cargo-only operations.
Russia-based S7 Airlines launched freighter operations in the first half of 2021 after back-to-back redeliveries of two 737-800BCFs (33545 and 29939). Both of the ex-Ryanair aircraft are on lease from GECAS.
The two freighters fly domestic and international routes and transport e-commerce shipments. S7 is the second 737 freighter operator in Russia after Atran.
Malaysia-based startup Kargo Xpress earlier this year launched with a 737-400F (ex-Connect Cargo), becoming the country’s fifth freighter operator. Kargo Xpress is affiliated with M Jets International, a charter operator whose parent MMAG Holdings acquired its 80% stake in July 2019.
When the deal was first announced, MMAG also outlined plans to expand logistics services by providing much needed cargo space to the industry, a goal it would begin to fulfill with Kargo Xpress.
Kargo Xpress recently took the first of two 737-800BCFs that it is leasing from GECAS.
Bulgaria-based Compass Cargo Airlines saw the arrival of its first freighter, a 737-800SF (28826, ex-Blue Air) in August. The aircraft is on lease from GA Telesis and had completed conversion with Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) in Miami (MIA).
Compass was, at the time, the eighth and latest carrier to add a 737-800F for the first time in 2021.
Georgian Airways took delivery of its first freighter in April. The 737-800SF (28231, ex-Smartwings) is on lease from Aero Capital Solutions and was also the lessor’s first 737NG freighter to enter service with an operator.
The airline has since flown the aircraft to Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Fellow Georgia-based carrier MyWay Airlines also added its first freighter in June. The aircraft is also a 737NG but is a -700BDSF (30513, ex-Xiamen Airlines) on lease from Spectre Air Capital. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) had converted the 737 at the Haite facility in Tianjin (TSN).
With Georgian Airways and MyWay Airlines, Georgia joins the U.S., Russia, China and Malaysia in having more than one domiciled 737NG freighter operator.
Chinese aviation group JWD Air Service Company, which is affiliated with MyWay, said in a release that it wanted to facilitate the opening of cargo routes between China and Georgia.
U.A.E.-based Sky One, which provides leasing, ACMI and charter services, added two 737-400Fs in 2021 and placed them both with Saudi Arabia-based Aviation Horizons for CMI operation.
Sky One is leasing the first aircraft (27914, ex-LOT) from Vx Capital and the second (25102, ex-Alaska Airlines) on lease from Avmax.
Apart from the freighters, Aviation Horizons operates several private jets.
MENA Aerospace Enterprises created a new division called MENA Cargo Airlines and obtained an air operator certificate in the second half of 2021.
The company had taken delivery of its first aircraft, a 737-300F (27710, ex-Southwest Airlines), on lease from Rostrum Leasing earlier in the year and told Cargo Facts that it is looking to expand its fleet.
Photo/Rimbun Air Rimbun Air
Indonesia-based Rimbun Air acquired a 737-300F (26288) that China Postal Airlines had withdrawn earlier in 2021.
The carrier, which previously had a few turboprops, said it intended to operate both domestically and internationally but so far appears to have only flown it within Indonesia.
Florida-based Silver Airways recently became a new freighter operator and Amazon’s latest CMI partner after the e-tailer placed its first ATR 72s with the carrier. Cargo Facts had reported in the summer that Silver intended to launch freighter operations around September.
Silver began flying the first unit in November and has now put four of at least five bulk ATR 72-500Fs into service on behalf of Amazon.
Other ATR operators
There have been developments with other ATR freighters joining operators for the first time.
Canada-based Air North started operations with its first ATR 42-300F in October. That aircraft (273) belonged to FedEx Express and had stopped CMI operations with ASL Airlines Ireland earlier in the year.
Meanwhile, in Africa, DR Congo-based FlyCAA took delivery of its first ATR 72-500F (775, ex-Jet Airways) on lease from Aergo Capital in April.
More recently, Spain-based CanaryFly told Cargo Facts that it does not expect to operate any more freighters in the short term after using its first ATR 72-500F (726, ex-Binter Canarias) for less than a year. The carrier had also converted another ATR 72-500F (752) from its own passenger fleet but never put it into service.
