5 operators start flying widebody freighters in 2025

Five cargo airlines entered the widebody-freighter market in 2025 amid dramatic, geopolitical shifts that affected trade flows. Even with a shortage of available aircraft in the widebody market and ongoing capacity constraints — exacerbated by the grounding of approximately sixty MD-11Fs — new market entrants were able to add 747, 767 and A330 freighters to their fleets. These five carriers launched commercial operations with Airbus and Boeing widebody freighters in 2025. 1. AirZeta [caption id="attachment_57294016" align="alignright" width="380"] Air Incheon rebranded as AirZeta. (Courtesy/SATS HK)[/caption] AirZeta, previously Air Incheon, is South Korea’s newest widebody freighter operator. It began flying six production 747-400Fs, four 747-400BDSFs and one production 767-300F in August after completing its acquisition of Asiana Airlines’ freighter business this year. AirZeta also operates four 737-800SFs and previously told Cargo Facts that it is evaluating widebody options to renew its fleet . 2. Awesome Cargo August was also when Mexico-based Awesome Cargo put its first A330-200P2F conversion (1252) into commercial service . The aircraft is on lease from Air Lease and was followed by a second A330-200P2F (1218) that started flying at the end of September. Both are operating between Mexico and China. A third unit (1225) will complete conversion with EFW in 2026. 3. Hungary Airlines [caption id="attachment_57294017" align="alignright" width="380"] Unit 1578 is owned by the Hungarian government. (Courtesy/Hactl)[/caption] After obtaining its AOC in December 2024, Hungary Airlines launched revenue operations with its only aircraft in February. The 2014-vintage, production A330-200F (1578) belongs to the Hungarian government and had previously been operated by Wizz Air. While Hungary Airlines hopes to add more freighters, Air Atlanta Europe in December began flying a 777-300ERSF on an ACMI basis for the Hungarian carrier. 4. Maersk Air Cargo UK In response to Brexit, Denmark-based Maersk Air Cargo set up a new AOC in the United Kingdom and sent two 767-200BDSFs to be based there. The U.K. granted that AOC in February. Since then, the 1989-vintage unit 24457 and 1995-vintage unit 27195 have been flying within the U.K. and to Cologne (CGN). 5. Samaritan’s Purse [caption id="attachment_57294018" align="alignright" width="380"] Unit 33510 exited service with Qantas in 2024. (Courtesy/Samaritan's Purse)[/caption] Samaritan’s Purse, a nonprofit, acquired a production 767-300F (33510) from Aircraft Finance Germany early this year. The 2006-vintage aircraft carried out its first relief mission in October and, a month later, Samaritan’s Purse formally retired its 1969-vintage DC-8-72CF (4601). The company also operates a 1985-vintage 757-200PCF (22611). Cargo Facts will present four invaluable events for airfreight professionals in the first half of 2026, starting with Cargo Facts LATAM, on Feb. 10-12. To see the agendas and register for the events, visit CargoFactsEvents.com .

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