Freighters carry medical aid from China to Europe

• Jeff Lee
• March 25, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

As the COVID-19 crisis worsens in Europe, a plethora of medical equipment and aid is now being flown in from China by a range of freighter aircraft, whether production, converted or makeshift. ASL Airlines Belgium is currently operating ten flights a week using 747-400Fs between Liege and China. While these flights transported medical supplies from […]

As main-deck demand surges, 747Fs remain in storage

• Jeff Lee
• March 13, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

While the passenger airline business suffers from capacity cuts on an unprecedented scale due to the coronavirus pandemic, freighter operators are experiencing a surge in demand and charter activity as less and less belly capacity becomes available. However, no parked freighters appear to have been removed from storage and brought back into service so far. […]

Air Cargo Global idles operations

• Charles Kauffman
• February 28, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, News, Widebody Conversions

Slovakia-headquartered Air Cargo Global has yet to operate a single flight in 2020, and recently dismissed workers at its main European hub at Frankfurt Hahn Airport (HHN), according to Airliners.de. On Dec. 30, 2019, the carrier operated its last flight from Tel Aviv (TLV) to Liege (LGG), where two of the carrier’s 747-400BDSFs remain. ACG’s […]

Atlas posts $400M loss, parks four converted 747Fs

• Jeff Lee
• February 20, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings today reported a net loss of $410.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2019, partly resulting from a non-cash special charge of $485.2 million related to the write-down of the company’s whole 747-400F fleet due to lower cargo yields and aircraft utilization. Atlas posted the loss despite block hours in the […]

ACT 747F suffers tail strike

• Jeff Lee
• February 3, 2020
• Aircraft, News, Production Freighters

A 747-400F operated by Turkey-based ACT Airlines suffered a tail strike on departure Feb. 1. The aircraft (26559, ex-Singapore Airlines Cargo) was being operated in ACMI service for Saudia Cargo. Unit 26559, manufactured in 2001, was en route from Dammam (DMM) to Zaragoza (ZAZ). It continued after takeoff and diverted to Jeddah (JED), where it […]

Air Atlanta Icelandic looks to 777 platform

• Jeff Lee
• January 9, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Air Atlanta Icelandic could soon be adding 777s to the list of aircraft it operates. The Iceland-based carrier has begun recruiting 777 type-rated captains and first officers through Confair, a Dutch recruitment agency for cockpit crew, flight attendants and technical maintenance personnel. According to the job description, this new batch of pilots will be based […]

European freighter fleet analysis (Part II): 777F on the rise

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• December 30, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Features, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions, Widebody Fleet Analysis

This is the second part of our analysis of the European jet freighter fleet. Last week, we looked at narrowbodies in Part I. Turning to the widebody jet freighter fleet operated by European carriers, the chart shows that the total number increased 8.3% since last year to 209 units. Notably, the overall number of 747-400Fs […]

Uni-top grounds fleet as it seeks new investors as part of restructure

• Jeff Lee
• November 19, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, Logistics, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Wuhan-based Uni-top Airlines’ fleet of freighters is currently grounded as the carrier faces financial difficulties and looks to restructure. According to Chinese business news outlet Yicai, the company has suspended all operations and has parked or returned its aircraft off lease. The last aircraft to have stopped flying appears to have been unit 763, which […]