Freighter fleet growth pushes Atlas, Qatar and Turkish higher in 2018 traffic rankings

Yesterday, part I of our two-part analysis of the world's top 50 cargo carriers in 2018 revealed three carriers, Atlas Air Group, Qatar Airways and Turkish Cargo, that had made notable increases in rank among the top 50. For each of the three carriers, a growing freighter fleet led to higher traffic. Today, we take […]

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• August 14, 2019

Cargo Air to postpone 737 freighter conversions

Bulgaria-based Cargo Air still holds firm orders for two 737-800BCFs along with two options but has agreed with Boeing to postpone the agreement for another two years to 2023 because the 737 MAX issues are causing 737-800 feedstock prices to remain high, the carrier confirmed to Cargo Facts. When the price is right, Cargo Air might consider […]

• Jeff Lee
• August 14, 2019

22 of top 25 cargo carriers operated freighters in 2018

Among the world’s top twenty-five cargo carriers in 2018, ranked by freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) carried, twenty-two of twenty-five carriers operated freighters. Expand the list to the top fifty cargo airlines and thirty-three carriers operated freighters. The remaining 34%, mostly comprised of mainline carriers with large widebody passenger fleets, made the list without significant maindeck […]

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• August 13, 2019

Air France ACMI leases Cargolux 747 during 777F maintenance

Cargolux has been flying one of its 747-400Fs for Air France on an ACMI basis since 21 July while one of the French carrier’s 777Fs (32966) undergoes planned heavy maintenance [FAT 005095]. Air France KLM Martinair Cargo confirmed to Cargo Facts that the ACMI deal will last until unit 32966 completes the maintenance work in […]

• Jeff Lee
• August 13, 2019

Qantas to add A321P2Fs, but from whom?

Australian carrier Qantas will introduce up to three passenger-to-freighter converted A321s to its fleet, as part of an expanded seven-year agreement signed with Australia Post [FATs 005092-5093]. With the first aircraft entering into service in October 2020, the A321P2Fs will be flying exclusively for Australia Post, which has had an airmail agreement with Qantas since […]

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• August 12, 2019

FedEx takes delivery of 767-300F, retires MD-10-10F

In a one-two punch, FedEx swiftly took delivery of a 767-300F (63109) from Boeing, and subsequently retired an MD-10-10F (48263) [FATs 005089, 5091]. Although FedEx has long labeled 767-300Fs a replacement for its ageing MD-10F fleet, in the six years since FedEx took delivery of its first 767-300F in September 2013 (42706), the carrier has […]

• Charles Kauffman
• August 12, 2019

Lufthansa Cargo parks MD-11F in its first freighter retirement of 2019 [VIDEO]

Earlier this week, Lufthansa Cargo parked an MD-11F (48785) [FAT 005089]. The aircraft was ferried from its hub in Frankfurt (FRA) to Victorville (VCV) for storage. The retirement was the first of two MD-11Fs Lufthansa Cargo plans to withdraw from service this year, after which, a total of ten MD-11Fs will remain in the carrier’s […]

• Charles Kauffman
• August 9, 2019

Amazon petitions FAA for commercial drone ops exemption 

In addition to wide- and narrowbody freighters joining the Amazon Air fleet, Prime Air drones may soon begin delivering Amazon purchases directly to customer doorsteps. Next in the series of the broader air cargo industry’s commercial drone saga, Amazon Prime Air submitted a petition to the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) yesterday that, if […]

• Chelsea Toczauer
• August 9, 2019