747-400 most sought-after freighter in April FATs

• Charles Kauffman
• May 11, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Widebody Conversions, Widebody Fleet Analysis

Large widebody freighter aircraft transactions (FATs) have accelerated to eight, up from just three in March as COVID-19 disruptions pushed previously-idled 747-400 and similarly-sized freighters back into service. A total of three 747-400Fs were acquired during the month of April as Western Global Airlines added a production 747-400F (29258, ex-Atlas Air) and as Moldova-based Aerotranscargo […]

Lufthansa Technik to develop STC for ‘auxiliary freighters’

• Charles Kauffman
• April 24, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Lufthansa Technik is developing passenger-to-cargo conversion programs that temporarily reconfigure passenger aircraft as “auxiliary freighters” capable of transporting cargo on the passenger deck. The MRO has already converted four A330-300s for its carrier affiliate Lufthansa, and the modification was subsequently approved by the German Federal Aviation Authority. While the first four aircraft will be permitted […]

FedEx reactivates first parked jet this year

• Jeff Lee
• April 16, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Equipment, Express, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

While hundreds of passenger aircraft have been heading to Victorville (VCV) for short-term storage during the COVID-19 crisis, FedEx Express has brought an A300-600F (789) out of VCV, ferrying it to Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) on April 14. Unit 789, which was sent from Memphis (MEM) to VCV to be parked March 13, is […]

Lufthansa Cargo keeps MD-11 retirement plan

• Jeff Lee
• April 3, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

For now, Lufthansa Cargo is sticking to its plan to withdraw all six of its remaining MD-11Fs by the end of the year, despite the current high demand for capacity. Lufthansa Cargo CEO Peter Gerber told Cargo Facts the carrier had begun an internal discussion earlier this year about phasing out the MD-11Fs even earlier […]

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 […]

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. […]

UPS to take more MD-11Fs

• Jeff Lee
• March 10, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

UPS will take delivery of three MD-11Fs within the next year or so, according to the company’s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Feb. 20. UPS had a firm commitment to purchase five of the aircraft type at the end of 2019, according to the report, all of which were to […]

Digital bookings on the rise, but are sales stuck in analog?

• Charles Kauffman
• February 19, 2020
• Capacity & Demand, Cargo Facts EMEA, Carriers, Editorial, News

Digitalization of the cargo sales and booking process was a popular discussion topic at this year’s Cargo Facts EMEA, held earlier this month in Frankfurt. While interfacing with online booking platforms like cargo.one and Freightos’ WebCargo is a practice gaining traction among carriers, human sales agents are still central to the process. “We have a […]