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 […]

DHL hands over first 777F to Kalitta

• Jeff Lee
• February 14, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, Express, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

DHL Express has taken delivery of the first 777F that it will hand over to U.S.-based Kalitta Air to be operated on a CMI basis [FATs 005329-005330]. The aircraft (66083) was ferried from Paine Field (PAE) to Oscoda (OSC) on Feb. 6. Kalitta is the third CMI operator of 777Fs owned by DHL, and is also set […]

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 […]

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 […]

Chapman Freeborn parent acquires Bluebird Nordic

• Jeff Lee
• January 30, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Lithuania-based Avia Solutions Group will fully acquire Iceland-based Bluebird Nordic from BB Holding and enter the narrowbody freighter segment for the first time. Bluebird, whose fleet currently consists of a single 737-300BDSF alongside five 737-400Fs, operates flights within Europe on an ACMI basis for several carriers, including ASL Airlines Belgium, EAT Leipzig, Swiftair and Poste Air […]

El Al secures 747 capacity with Atlas, sidelines other operators

• Charles Kauffman
• January 7, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, News

In what may come as a blow to European 747F operators, Israel-based El Al Airlines began wet-leasing a 747-400F from U.S.-based Atlas Air [FAT 005279]. Flights between Tel Aviv (TLV) and Liege (LGG) began on Jan. 1. The move to lease-in capacity follows El Al’s 2019 decision to cease freighter operations of its own, and […]

Geo Sky expands with another 747 Classic freighter, looks to -400Fs

• Jeff Lee
• December 31, 2019
• Aircraft, Equipment, Exclusive, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Widebody Conversions

Georgia-based Geo Sky received a Christmas gift in the form of a 747-200F (23735, ex-Air Atlanta Icelandic) [FAT 005275]. The carrier now has a fleet of four 747-200Fs. Geo Sky told Cargo Facts that the aircraft is leased from a Dubai-based lessor, and expects to deploy unit 23735 in service on or around Jan. 7. While […]

Pionair Australia BAe 146-300QT enters service for Qantas Freight

• Jeff Lee
• December 27, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Strategy

Pionair Australia has put its first BAe 146-300QT (E3150) into service, operating for Qantas Freight on an ACMI basis [FAT 005271]. The aircraft is mainly flying between Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL) and Launceston (LST). The Australian carrier previously confirmed to Cargo Facts that it had purchased three BAe 146-300QTs from Germany-based WDL Aviation earlier this year for growth. Unit E3150 was ferried to Australia […]