Qantas, KLM fly passenger aircraft as freighters, Lufthansa and IAG may follow

• Jeff Lee
• March 18, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

[Note: Qantas has now decided to suspend all international passenger flying from the end of March until at least May 31, 2020.] As borders are severely restricted and passenger flights are cancelled around the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic, more airlines are beginning to operate empty passenger aircraft for the sole purpose of carrying […]

Estafeta grows fleet with 737-400F

• Jeff Lee
• March 6, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Mexico-based Estafeta Cargo Aerea will shortly add to its fleet a 737-400SF (28661, ex-Asia Cargo Express), on lease from Vx Capital Partners [FAT 005350-005351]. Estafeta told Cargo Facts it expects to take redelivery of the aircraft in a matter of days. The aircraft, first delivered to Spanish airline Air Europa in 1997, was stored in […]

CF EMEA: Growth prospects for narrowbody freighters in Europe

• Jeff Lee
• February 21, 2020
• Aircraft, Cargo Facts EMEA 2020 - Video Series, Carriers, Equipment, Express, Narrowbody Conversions, Strategy

FRANKFURT — There are still good opportunities for narrowbody freighter operators in Europe, according to CargoLogic Germany (CLG), one of the newest entrants to the market. CLG, which obtained its German Air Operator Certificate (AOC) in September 2019, currently flies a variety of European routes, serving airports including Cologne (CGN), Hannover (HAJ), Milan (MXP) and East […]

Connect Cargo freighters grounded

• Jeff Lee
• February 17, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Brazilian startup Connect Cargo’s two leased 737-400Fs are currently grounded and could end up being repossessed by Luxembourg-based Vallair. According to ANAC, Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, the two aircraft are no longer cleared for commercial flights. Connect Cargo, which only completed its Part 121 certification with ANAC and was granted its AOC in June […]

CF EMEA: Titan Airways plans expansion with A321Fs

• Jeff Lee
• February 12, 2020
• Aircraft, Cargo Facts EMEA 2020 - Video Series, Carriers, Conversions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

FRANKFURT — U.K.-based Titan Airways plans to enlarge its presence in the freighter market with the introduction of three freighter-converted A321Fs. The first unit (1238, ex-Thomas Cook Airlines) was inducted for conversion by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) in Singapore (XSP) in January and is expected to be redelivered by the end of the year, on lease […]

ASL grows its 737 Classic fleet

• Charles Kauffman
• February 10, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

ASL Airlines Ireland has added a 737-400F (29204, ex-Yamal Airlines) on lease from Royal Aero GmbH [FAT 005319].   The delivery highlights the willingness of ACMI operators to continue adding to their fleets 737 Classic conversions while feedstock for 737 NG conversions remains in short supply. Last week at Cargo Facts EMEA in Frankfurt, panelists in a roundtable discussion on the topic of freighter conversions […]

Airwork ramps up conversions

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• January 31, 2020
• Aircraft, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions

New Zealand-based Airwork acquired a 737-400 (28702, ex-Blue Air) for conversion to freighter configuration by Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) [FAT 005310-5311]. The aircraft is slated for induction at Commercial Jet’s Miami facility next month, and is AEI’s twelfth 737-400SF conversion for Airwork. Airwork Flight Operations, the company’s carrier affiliate last took redelivery of an AEI-converted […]

AEI adds conversions as interest in 737 Classics continues

• Jeff Lee
• January 21, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) and Vx Capital Partners have signed an agreement for the conversion of three 737-400s into freighter configuration. Following redelivery, Vx will have converted a total of twenty-eight 737 Classics, including twenty-six with AEI. Vx’s overall leasing portfolio will grow to forty-three 737-400Fs. The aircraft are the only three 737-400s left in the […]