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 […]

Cargolux acquires CargoLogicAir 747

• Jeff Lee
• February 24, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

A 747-400F previously operated by U.K.-based CargoLogicAir (CLA) has found a new owner in Cargolux, bringing the Luxembourg-based carrier’s all-747 fleet back to thirty units [FAT 005335]. According to the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority, the aircraft (35170, ex-AirBridgeCargo) was deregistered Feb. 19. It was parked in Leipzig (LEJ) on Dec. 30, and brought to Sharjah […]

China Airlines remarkets three 747-400Fs

• Jeff Lee
• February 19, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

[This article has been amended to reflect that the aircraft currently being remarketed are units 30759, 30763 and 30764, not 30759, 30760 and 30762.] Taiwan-based China Airlines is looking to remove three 747-400Fs as it prepares to replace its fleet by taking delivery of new 777Fs later this year. Japan-based SK&Y Associates has been engaged […]

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 […]

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 […]

European freighter fleet analysis (Part I): 737 Classics drive growth, for now

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• December 23, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Features, Freighter Fleet Analysis, Narrowbody Conversions, Narrowbody Fleet Analysis

In a year as tumultuous as 2019, it’s encouraging to see that European carriers continued to add freighter aircraft. Today we begin an analysis which will take a closer look at these fleets, starting with narrowbody jets in Part I and moving to widebodies in Part II. To begin with, we note that for this […]

Widebody freighter aircraft transactions surge in October 2019

• Charles Kauffman
• November 25, 2019
• All Posts, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News

Of the 73 transactions Cargo Facts recorded in October 2019, 46 involved widebody freighters. Although 30 of those transactions included orders and options related to lessor GECAS’ launch order for IAI’s 777-300ERSF, widebody freighter deliveries and placements also accelerated during the period, perhaps unsurprisingly ahead of peak season.    A total of four 777Fs were delivered during the period – two to Qatar […]