Express growth feeds fleet expansion

• Jeff Lee
• October 15, 2020
• Express Fleet Analysis, Freighter Fleet Analysis, News

As the passenger aviation market attempts to stabilize itself after almost coming to a standstill just a few months ago, the freighter fleets operated by or on behalf of leading express carriers DHL, FedEx and UPS have been kept busier than ever. FedEx, for example, reported a 31% year-on-year growth in its international priority package […]

Lufthansa grows 777F fleet, continues to fly MD-11Fs

• Charles Kauffman
• September 29, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Fleet Analysis

Lufthansa Cargo has taken delivery of a 777F from Boeing (66912), growing its own-operated 777F fleet to nine units [FAT 005642]. The twin-engine freighters, being added to replace the six remaining MD-11Fs in the Lufthansa Cargo fleet, will operate alongside the tri-engine aircraft beyond the end of this year. Although fleet plans originally called for […]

Weekly Wrap: 747s in the spotlight amid slow pax recovery [Video]

• Charles Kauffman
• August 21, 2020
• All Posts, Editorial, News, Podcast, Video

As countries around the world continue to grapple with the COVID-19 crisis, international passenger flights are resuming at a plodding pace, leaving this year’s peak season to freighter operators. This week, the Cargo Facts team looked at the status of parked and idled 747 freighter capacity and prospects for the reactivation of these units as […]

AeroLogic secures CMI deal for DHL 777F, more up for grabs

• Charles Kauffman
• July 10, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Logistics, Production Freighters, Strategy

The forthcoming 777F (66086) delivery for DHL Express expected from Boeing later this month will be handed over to AeroLogic for operation on a CMI basis, DHL has confirmed to Cargo Facts. The express company expects to take delivery of three more 777Fs this year, including 66086, for a total of six 777F deliveries for […]

A 777F for Turkmenistan?

• Charles Kauffman
• June 29, 2020
• All Posts, Editorial, Equipment, News, Production Freighters

Turkmenistan Airlines is looking to add a 777F to its fleet. Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has approved the state-owned carrier’s purchase of the freighter, according to a government briefing [FAT 005487]. Local sources report the involvement of Lufthansa Consulting and suggest that lessor Aircraft Finance Germany (AFG) will be facilitating the transaction. AFG, for its […]

Cainiao hires Atlas 747F to bridge Asia and Latin America

• Charles Kauffman
• June 16, 2020
• Logistics, News, Production Freighters

This month, Atlas Air commenced weekly flights to Sao Paulo (GRU) and Santiago (SCL) from Hong Kong (HKG) utilizing a 747-400F (29260). The flight segments are chartered by a partnership between Alibaba’s logistics affiliate, Cainiao, and freight forwarder Sinotrans, Cargo Facts has learned. Starting next week, Atlas will add a second weekly frequency between Asia […]

ACE Belgium Freighters resolves name dispute, to fly as Challenge Airlines

• Charles Kauffman
• June 15, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Equipment, Logistics, News, Production Freighters, Widebody Conversions

ACE Belgium Freighters is working with regulators in Belgium and the United States to change its name to Challenge Airlines (BE) S.A. The new name will put to rest a trademark dispute with U.S.-based Alaska Central Express, and is expected to advance the carrier’s receipt of a foreign air carrier permit from the U.S. Department […]

Volga-Dnepr and Boeing in legal spat over order backlog

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• June 1, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Business, Carriers, Equipment, Freighter Fleet Analysis, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Fleet Analysis

Volga-Dnepr Group, through its U.K. affiliate, is motioning for a temporary restraining order against Boeing in an attempt to reclaim delivery rights to a 747-8F and three 777Fs Boeing began remarketing earlier this year, after the group signaled earlier this year that it was no longer in a position to take delivery of the aircraft. […]