The Cargo Facts Newsletter - December 2023
Cargo Facts
The newsletter of record of the air cargo and freighter aircraft industries.
Major 747 freighter operator Cathay Pacific on Dec. 8 signed a deal with Airbus to purchase six A350Fs, a significant win for Airbus in the large-widebody freighter competition.
The deal includes a firm order for six freighters to be delivered from 2027 through 2029, and Cathay holds the right to buy up to twenty additional units, according to a Hong Kong Stock Exchange filing.
Embraer on Nov. 30 rolled out its prototype E190F conversion after installing the cargo door on the aircraft.
The door and surrounding door frame installation were completed in October, and Embraer plans to begin flight tests soon, the Brazilian planemaker told Cargo Facts, adding that it has already started ground tests.
Seattle-based Alaska Airlines’ proposed $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines may lead to Amazon freighters ending up on the Alaska AOC as Alaska evaluates expanding its own freighter operations.
Alaska said it intends to keep the Hawaiian Airlines brand intact but will operate both carriers on one certificate and establish a single collective bargaining agreement for the unions, Alaska Air Group Chief Executive Ben Minicucci told analysts in a call Dec. 3.
领英推荐
Western Global Airlines will emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy with its entire pre-petition operational fleet intact after the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved the company’s reorganization plan Nov. 21.?
In addition to maintaining full workforce strength, Western Global will exit the Chapter 11 proceedings with its owned fleet of three 747-400Fs and fifteen MD-11Fs, along with one leased 747-400F and two MD-11Fs that have not undergone conformity, a spokesperson for the carrier told Cargo Facts.
San Diego-based autonomous aircraft developer Natilus on Dec. 12 launched its pilot operations desk control station, from which pilots will remotely manage and monitor the autonomous cargo aircraft.
The company prioritized a simple user interface when it designed the pilot operations desk (POD), co-founder and Chief Executive Aleksey Matyushev told Cargo Facts. And, in an effort to reduce costs, Natilus designed the POD to be a single-interface system that will control all the cargo aircraft variants it is developing.
Edvinas Demenius, chief commercial officer and board member at SmartLynx Airlines, will join Cargo Facts EMEA 2024 for the panel discussion “The latest in narrowbody freighter conversions” on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 15:15 (GMT +1).
The sixth annual Cargo Facts EMEA event takes place Feb. 5-7 at the Hilton Amsterdam, where industry leaders will gather to share their outlook on the air cargo sector in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.