737 Classic freighters begin flying with 9 carriers

The surplus of narrowbody freighters in 2024 did not curtail industry demand for 737 Classic freighters. While carriers like ASL Airlines, Qantas and West Atlantic all retired 737 Classics in 2024, Africa Charter Airlines , Dominican Republic-based Sky High and Brazil-based Total Linhas Aereas were among the existing Classic operators that redeployed 737-300Fs and 737-400Fs. Boeing’s classic narrowbody freighters were given a fresh start with nine carriers that started flying 737Fs for the first time in 2024. Six of those airlines were new entrants to the dedicated cargo sector. The following nine carriers began 737 Classic freighter operations for the first time in 2024: 1. Airnesia Royal Cargo [caption id="attachment_57148032" align="alignright" width="380"] Airnesia joins several other 737 Classic operators in Indonesia. (Courtesy/Airnesia Royal Cargo)[/caption] Indonesia-based Airnesia acquired an ex-Central Airlines 737-300F (27362) from Aircraft Finance Germany. The carrier began certification flights with the 1994-vintage freighter in June and obtained AOC approval in August. Airnesia later doubled its 737 Classic freighter fleet and added a 1998-vintage 737-300F (29333) that was previously with Airfast Indonesia. 2. Astral Aviation [caption id="attachment_57148031" align="alignright" width="380"] The 737 is a new type for Astral. (Courtesy/Astral Aviation)[/caption] Kenya-based Astral expanded its lift capacity when it took delivery of an ex-Alaska Airlines 737-400F (27082) on lease from Avmax. The aircraft is the first 737 Classic to enter service with Astral Aviation. Avmax converted the 1992-vintage aircraft to a full freighter in 2020. 3. Braspress Air Cargo [caption id="attachment_57148033" align="alignright" width="380"] Braspress has leased two 737-400Fs from World Star Aviation. (Courtesy/Braspress)[/caption] Braspress Air Cargo, the new airline arm of Brazilian logistics company Braspress, became the sixth Brazilian carrier to enter the Latin American narrowbody freighter segment, taking delivery in February of a 737-400F (29207, ex-ASL Airlines) on lease from World Star Aviation. Braspress took another ex-ASL Airlines 737-400 freighter (29206) from World Star in June. 4. Constanta Airlines Ukraine-based Constanta began operating its first 737-300F (29326) in October, flying the 737 Classic from Chisinau, Moldova (RMO), to Piestany, Slovakia (PZY). The 1998-vintage aircraft previously belonged to Georgia-based startup Gryphon Air Cargo, but never entered service. 5. Fanjet Express Kenya-based Fanjet Express, which previously operated three passenger 737-400s and one -300, began providing air cargo service with its first 737-400SF (29202, ex-ASL Airlines Belgium) in August. The second Kenyan carrier to operate 737 Classic freighters, Fanjet told Cargo Facts that it expects to add a second 737-400F to its fleet in the future. 6. Hayways Armenia-based Hayways became the first carrier in the country to operate a 737-400 freighter when it launched operations with the 1997-vintage unit 28758 from Yerevan, Armenia (EVN), to Moscow (VKO) in July. The startup acquired the ex-Atran 737-400SF in 2023. The aircraft was ferried to East Midlands (EMA) in December 2022 and placed into storage after sanctions against Russia forced it out of Atran’s fleet. 7. K2 Airways [caption id="attachment_57148034" align="alignright" width="380"] Unit 29210 is the only 737-400 freighter in Pakistan. (Courtesy/K2 Airways)[/caption] Pakistan-based K2 Airways is the first carrier in the country to operate a 737-400BDSF. The 1999-vintage unit (29210), on lease from AerCap, entered service in late December shortly after K2 obtained its AOC. 8. New Way Cargo Airlines Kyrgyzstan-based New Way Cargo Airlines diversified its Russian freighter fleet in April by acquiring a 737-300F (27520) from China-based North-Western Cargo International Airlines. North-Western Cargo, which had leased the 1996-vintage unit from China-based YTO Cargo Airlines, removed the 737 Classic from its fleet in November 2023. 9. Skyway Airlines [caption id="attachment_57148035" align="alignright" width="380"] Skyway hopes to grow its 737 fleet. (Courtesy/Skyway Airlines)[/caption] Skyway received its AOC from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines in July and launched its air cargo service in August with a 1998-vintage 737-400BDSF (29208) on lease from AerCap. Skyway expects to add a second 737-400F but will evaluate market conditions before proceeding with expansion, it told Cargo Facts . While new demand for 737 Classics continues to push back retirement plans for them, two 737-400Fs were permanently removed from the worldwide fleet in 2024. A fire in the main-deck cargo compartment destroyed a Total Linhas Aereas 737-400SF (26299, ex-ASL Airlines Ireland) in November. Additionally, another 1993-vintage unit (24445) operated by Spain-based Swiftair on behalf of DHL crashed that month . Register now for Cargo Facts' essential regional events for industry stakeholders: Cargo Facts LATAM 2025 on Feb. 10-11 at the Pullman Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport in Brazil; Cargo Facts Asia 2025 on March 24-26 at the W Shanghai in China; and Cargo Facts EMEA 2025 on May 6-8 at the Shangri-La Bosphorus in Turkey. Also register here for Cargo Facts' free webinar, “ ACMI, CMI and Charter in 2025: Challenges and Opportunities ," taking place on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 11:00 a.m. ET (UTC -5).

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