ASL adds a 747-400F to its fleet

• Charles Kauffman
• November 14, 2019
• News, Video

ASL Airlines Belgium has taken delivery of a 747-400F on lease (30762, ex-China Airlines) [FAT 005217]. The aircraft arrived in Liege, Belgium (LGG) earlier this week and is expected to commence service shortly. Cargo Facts reported on the reactivation of the previously-stored China Airlines 747-400F last month. See the full story here. Here’s a video […]

CargoLogicAir to cut two 747Fs early next year

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• November 1, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

UK-based CargoLogicAir (CLA) will reduce its four-unit 747F fleet by two units next year, “because of the ongoing challenging market conditions,” according to a statement from the carrier. Following the reduction, CLA intends to continue operating two aircraft in ACMI service. The cuts are the latest prompted by CLA’s parent, the Volga-Dnepr Group, which earlier this […]

Atlas 3Q earnings take hit from tariffs and trade tensions

• Jeff Lee
• October 30, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Earnings, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Production Freighters

While total block hours were up 7.7% year-over-year, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings reported an operating loss of $0.88 million for the third quarter of 2019, a 102% drop year-on-year. Adjusted net income was $9.5 million, 78% lower than 3Q 2018. Block-hour growth was mainly driven by CMI flying. During the third quarter of 2019, Atlas […]

ASL Airlines Belgium to lease China Airlines 747-400F

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• October 25, 2019
• Carriers, Exclusive, Production Freighters

A 747-400F (30762, ex-China Airlines) will soon join the ASL Airlines Belgium fleet, Cargo Facts has learned [FAT 005217]. Previously the aircraft had been in long-term storage at Victorville (VCV), where China Airlines has two other 747-400Fs in storage (30760 and 30761). The reactivation pushes the stored 747-400F fleet even lower. Cargo Facts estimates there are now just four 747-400F […]

CFS 2019: Outsized cargo transportation after the 747-8F

• Charles Kauffman
• October 22, 2019
• Cargo Facts Symposium, CFS 2019 - Airborne Global Video Series

SAN DIEGO  – “We don’t see a clear successor to the 747-8F, the 747-400F or the An-124,” said Michael Steen, COO, Atlas Air Worldwide during a discussion about widebody freighters at Cargo Facts Symposium 2019. Atlas Air is currently the operator of the world’s largest fleet of nose-loading freighters, which are used not only for […]

Cathay Pacific retires lone 747-400BCF

• Jeff Lee
• October 1, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific has withdrawn its single remaining 747-400BCF (25152) and ferried the freighter to the aircraft boneyard at Pinal Airpark (MZJ) in Marana, AZ, via Anchorage (ANC) and Los Angeles (LAX) [FAT 005156]. The aircraft had not flown since operating a round trip between Hong Kong (HKG) and Chennai (MAA) on Aug. 29. […]

Another 747-400BCF reactivated?

• Jeff Lee
• September 26, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

A Thai Airways 747-400BCF (24459) has just been ferried from U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport (UTP), where it had been in storage for four-and-a-half years, to Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK). Cargo Facts believes that this aircraft may be undergoing maintenance ahead of redelivery to another operator. Unit 24459 was originally delivered to Thai in […]

China Airlines firms up three more 777Fs

• Jeff Lee
• September 4, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

Taiwan-based China Airlines has finalized an order for six 777Fs from Boeing as it looks to modernize its 747-400F fleet. The carrier had previously signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing in May 2019 for three 777Fs plus options for three more [FATs 005116 - 5118]. According to Boeing, after China Airlines announced its intent […]