Belly hold will not overtake freighters by 2037

Boeing’s new World Air Cargo Forecast 2018 (WACF), released yesterday at TIACA’s Air Cargo Forum, predicts the global fleet of freighters will grow by 70% from the current total of 1,870 units to 3,260 units by 2037 as freighters are expected to continue carrying the majority of air freight. Acknowledging that capacity in the bellies of […]

• Charles Kauffman
• October 17, 2018

Cargo Facts 2018: Which engine will drive the narrowbody conversion market?

SAN DIEGO – Major conversion houses agreed that, more than shortages in aircraft feedstock, the difficulty in sourcing aircraft engines at reasonable prices for passenger-to-freighter conversions will more significantly limit the number of conversions during the next few years, speakers at today’s Cargo Facts Symposium said. Responding to a question on how many conversions available […]

• Caryn Livingston
• October 12, 2018

Freighter aircraft transactions through the end of September

Every week in Cargo Facts Update, we include a list of recent freighter aircraft transactions, and then a comprehensive summary in the monthly issue of Cargo Facts. Each reference to a freighter aircraft transaction (FAT) in our publications contains a unique FAT code linked to the FAT database on the CargoFacts.com website. This database is […]

• Caryn Livingston
• October 9, 2018

Uni-Top Airlines adds sixth A300-600F

Yesterday, Uni-Top Airlines took redelivery of its sixth passenger-to-freighter converted A300-600F (741, ex-China Eastern), after its conversion at the EFW facility in Dresden. The aircraft is now headed to the Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co, Ltd (GAMECO) facility for painting before it enters operations. The China-based carrier announced plans to add converted A300Fs into its […]

• Caryn Livingston
• October 8, 2018

ATSG adds 777 platform through Omni Air acquisition

Ohio-based Air Transport Services Group, Inc (ATSG) is acquiring Oklahoma-based Omni Air in a deal that will add thirteen additional aircraft to ATSG’s fleet, including the first three 777 aircraft in the aircraft leasing specialist’s portfolio. The cash price of the acquisition is listed at $845 million, and the deal is expected to close later […]

• Caryn Livingston
• October 2, 2018

Nippon Cargo Airlines resumes trans-Pacific route

Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA), which grounded all eleven units in its 747F fleet back in June, will resume trans-Pacific service this week with a route between Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) and Chicago’s O’Hare Airport (ORD) via Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC). NCA was forced to ground its fleet when inspectors from Japan’s Civil Aviation […]

• Caryn Livingston
• September 25, 2018

Qatar Airways takes delivery of 777Fs after overall difficult year

In an otherwise challenging year for the Gulf carrier, Qatar Airways’ cargo division has been a bright spot that keeps growing – most recently, with Qatar Airways Cargo taking delivery of another two 777 freighters (62771, 62772) from Boeing. Qatar Airways Cargo indicated it would increase its 777F order with Boeing back in April when […]

• Caryn Livingston
• September 20, 2018

How will FedEx beat back Amazon’s challenge? Here’s a hint

FedEx yesterday offered a glimpse at how the express company will fend off competition from Amazon, which continues to develop its own Amazon Air dedicated air network. The secret: infrastructure. David Cunningham, president and CEO of FedEx’s express business, said during a presentation before the Wings Club in New York yesterday that FedEx’s infrastructure gives […]

• JJ Hornblass
• September 14, 2018

5 idled 747-400Fs most likely to return to service

Earlier this month, Alan Hedge, senior director, Cargo Facts Consulting, provided a census of the stored 747-400F fleet and found a total of eleven factory built 747-400Fs under the age of 20 years (you can read that analysis here). After going through the list on an aircraft-by-aircraft basis, Cargo Facts has identified the top-five parked 747-400Fs […]

• Caryn Livingston and Charles Kauffman
• August 30, 2018

AeroLogic fleet to grow as Lufthansa Cargo looks beyond Frankfurt

Leipzig-based AeroLogic, a 50/50 joint venture of DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo, announced today that it will begin operating an eleventh 777F in January 2019. Lufthansa Cargo will lease the aircraft from Boeing Capital and plans to market the freighter’s capacity independently of DHL Express, further diversifying AeroLogic’s operational model. For Lufthansa Cargo, adding a […]

• Charles Kauffman
• August 28, 2018