Just in time for the Brazil-hosted world cup, Lufthansa Cargo has taken delivery of its fourth 777F (D-ALFD, MSN: 41677), featuring the name “Olá Brazil.” All four of the carrier’s new 777Fs greet the markets in which they will operate as locals – “Good Day, USA,” “Jambo Kenya,” and “Ni Hao, China” came previously. Lufthansa plans to expand the “good day” names (in more languages) to the MD-11F fleet in the coming months.
Shortly after accepting delivery of D-ALFC (“Ni Hao”/MSN: 41676), in February, Lufthansa Cargo scheduled the 777F to Shanghai Pudong (PVG) via Krasnayorsk (KJA) from Frankfurt. Routes to Kenya are still scheduled with MD-11Fs, but it seems possible that the names on the new 777Fs may hint at their use on regular routes to Africa and South America – routes currently served by MD-11Fs. During crew training for the 777F fleet, several routings to Africa (Nairobi, Johannesburg) and India (Mumbai) saw the new twin substituted in for the usual MD-11F.
The current regular territories for the Lufthansa Cargo 777Fs remain China and North America.
Lufthansa has one additional 777F on order with Boeing, and 16 active MD-11Fs. Significantly, retirement of the MD-11F has not been a 1:1 process with the addition of the 777F. Just two MD-11Fs, both slightly non-standard conversion models, have been retired so far (MSNs 48413 & 48414) – both sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma for scrapping. The other MD-11Fs appear to all be in service, so the 777F fleet represents a considerable net addition of capacity, at least for the time being.
© Photographer: Alex Kwanten
