Weekly Wrap: Widebody additions and deliveries, and the end of the 747 [VIDEO]

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• July 10, 2020
• Editorial, Equipment, News, Video

This week, Cargo Facts reported on stories involving widebody aircraft, including: Ethiopian Airlines’ plans to add a 777F and three converted 767-300Fs; the first reconfigured A380 passenger freighter; and Lufthansa Cargo’s expected delivery of two new 777Fs in 2020. But the 747 was also in the spotlight. In the video below, editors Charles Kauffman and […]

Restructuring at Lufthansa leaves freighter fleet plans intact

• Charles Kauffman
• July 9, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Editorial, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

Lufthansa Group’s outstanding order with Boeing for two 777Fs remains unaffected despite the fact that the Lufthansa Cargo parent will halve its investment in aircraft between now and 2023, and continues to reduce some of the estimated 22,000 jobs made redundant by the crisis, Cargo Facts has learned. The Germany-based group this week approved a […]

10 carriers where cargo contributes the most

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• June 17, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Editorial, Logistics, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Between 2018 and 2019, the contribution of cargo to a combination carrier’s top line decreased almost unanimously as the airfreight market entered cool-down mode after a multi-year growth streak. With the exception of Qatar Airways, all of the top-ten carriers by cargo revenue contribution saw cargo play a reduced or unchanged role in 2019. With […]

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 […]