Boeing to pause production for two weeks amid pandemic

• Jeff Lee
• March 23, 2020
• Aircraft, Editorial, Equipment, News, Strategy

Boeing will suspend all production activity across the Puget Sound region for fourteen days from March 25, in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said it would begin reducing its manufacturing operations today. During the suspension, Boeing will conduct deep cleaning at sites where there were confirmed COVID-19 infections. […]

Coronavirus pressures Boeing to idle operations, cure cash bleed

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• March 20, 2020
• Aircraft, Editorial, Equipment, News, Production Freighters

Boeing is under mounting pressure from the coronavirus outbreak to stop work at its final-assembly facilities, at least on a temporary basis. With at least three large widebody freighters on the flight line at Boeing’s Everett final assembly facility, deliveries planned in the coming weeks could be delayed. These include a China Southern Cargo 777F […]

Freighters resist quarantine and spring back into action, for now

• Charles Kauffman
• March 18, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Widebody Fleet Analysis

On March 15, ACE Belgium Freighters added to its fleet a second 747-400, an ERF variant (35169, ex-Jade Cargo) that previously operated on the AOC of affiliate carrier Israel-based CAL Cargo [FAT 005356]. After sitting idle since its ferry flight to Liege (LGG) on Feb. 2, the aircraft has since completed two roundtrip flights between […]

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 […]

AirBridgeCargo seeks to cull 747F fleet

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• March 10, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, Logistics, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

Russia-based AirBridgeCargo (ABC) is in negotiations with lessors to terminate agreements on up to five 747 freighters. The carrier said it entered into discussions with its leasing partners late last year as air cargo demand slumped. In the fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak that has forced ABC to cancel flights, those talks have intensified in […]

Cargolux celebrates golden anniversary

• Gennette Cordova
• March 4, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, News

Luxembourg’s all-cargo carrier Cargolux, turned half a century old today. The airline was founded 50 years ago by Luxembourg national carrier Luxair, Icelandic Airlines, Swedish shipping company Salen and a small group of private investors, with Einar Olafsson as its first employee and CEO. Its sole aircraft, at the start of operations, was a Canadair […]

Airbus nears launch of A350 freighter program

• Charles Kauffman
• February 26, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, Exclusive, Express, News, Production Freighters, Widebody Fleet Analysis

Airbus is moving ahead with the development of a freighter version of the A350 aircraft, sources tell Cargo Facts. Sources say Airbus is actively pitching a freighter variant of the A350 to cargo operators, and would formally launch the new production freighter program once it secures a charter order. In recent months, sales executives for […]

CargoLogicAir on the brink?

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• February 24, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, News, Production Freighters

U.K.-based CargoLogicAir (CLA) has idled its freighter fleet and has not operated any scheduled or charter flights since Feb. 9. Sources familiar with CargoLogicAir tell Cargo Facts that over 100 employees were dismissed this week after financial troubles drove the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to revoke the carrier’s operating license last week. According […]