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Qantas to buy more A321 cargo jets for e-commerce
来源：shippingazette 编辑：编辑部 发布：2023/03/09 14:14:08
AUSTRALIA's Qantas Airways says it intends to acquire three additional Airbus A321 converted freighters to upgrade its fleet as it seeks to capitalize on soaring growth of e-commerce shipments in Australia.
The airline deployed the first A321 freighter ever produced in October 2020 and now operates three of the aircraft in domestic operations for Australia Post.
It said last August it would take six more A321 passenger jets that had been retrofitted to carry large cargo containers on the main deck. The new tranche of planes, expected to enter service by mid-2026, would bring Qantas' A321 fleet to 12 aircraft.
The A321s will replace five Boeing 737-300/400 freighters that are approaching the end of their economic life and grow the fleet, reports New York's FreightWaves.
Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH, a joint venture between Airbus and Singapore-based ST Engineering, is retrofitting the A321s. An EFW spokesperson said Qantas will obtain the planes through a leasing company that will be its direct customer.
Each A321 converted freighter can carry more than 25 tonnes, 10 tonnes more than the older 737s, and is about 30 per cent more fuel efficient per tonneof freight carried.
And the commitment to invest in the freight division extends beyond standard-size jets. Qantas is converting two of its A330 widebody passenger jets into freighters to support the shift toward consumers shopping online.
EFW is also converting the A330s. The aerospace manufacturer is currently converting one of the A330s at its manufacturing facility in Dresden, Germany, and the second plane arrived recently for its appointment.
The planes are expected to enter service this year.
One A330 will be utilized by Australia Post and the other will operate in Qantas Freight's international network. The A330 has more than double the capacity of other dedicated freighters operated by Qantas for the national postal service.
Qantas returned to profitability in the first half of the 2023 fiscal year after three years and AUD7 billion (US$4.7 billion) of losses, with record pretax income of $711 million, according to its financial results.
Qantas Freight continued to deliver earnings well above pre-Covid levels, although cargo revenue was down 12 per cent to $552 million.
The airline deployed the first A321 freighter ever produced in October 2020 and now operates three of the aircraft in domestic operations for Australia Post.
It said last August it would take six more A321 passenger jets that had been retrofitted to carry large cargo containers on the main deck. The new tranche of planes, expected to enter service by mid-2026, would bring Qantas' A321 fleet to 12 aircraft.
The A321s will replace five Boeing 737-300/400 freighters that are approaching the end of their economic life and grow the fleet, reports New York's FreightWaves.
Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH, a joint venture between Airbus and Singapore-based ST Engineering, is retrofitting the A321s. An EFW spokesperson said Qantas will obtain the planes through a leasing company that will be its direct customer.
Each A321 converted freighter can carry more than 25 tonnes, 10 tonnes more than the older 737s, and is about 30 per cent more fuel efficient per tonneof freight carried.
And the commitment to invest in the freight division extends beyond standard-size jets. Qantas is converting two of its A330 widebody passenger jets into freighters to support the shift toward consumers shopping online.
EFW is also converting the A330s. The aerospace manufacturer is currently converting one of the A330s at its manufacturing facility in Dresden, Germany, and the second plane arrived recently for its appointment.
The planes are expected to enter service this year.
One A330 will be utilized by Australia Post and the other will operate in Qantas Freight's international network. The A330 has more than double the capacity of other dedicated freighters operated by Qantas for the national postal service.
Qantas returned to profitability in the first half of the 2023 fiscal year after three years and AUD7 billion (US$4.7 billion) of losses, with record pretax income of $711 million, according to its financial results.
Qantas Freight continued to deliver earnings well above pre-Covid levels, although cargo revenue was down 12 per cent to $552 million.