Atlas Air to add 3 Boeing 747-8 freighters to fleet
Aircraft secured through long-term finance lease agreements with BOC Aviation, scheduled for delivery in Q32024
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, a leading global provider of outsourced aviation logistics, is adding three Boeing 747-8 freighters to its fleet to meet the strong global demand for dedicated large widebody airfreight capacity, particularly for cross-border e-commerce shipping.
The three additional 747-8Fs, secured through long-term finance lease agreements with BOC Aviation, are expected to enter service late in the third quarter of 2024, according to an official release from Atlas Air.
“Atlas is the world’s largest operator of 747 freighters, and we are thrilled to expand our widebody fleet with these three 747-8Fs, following the four 747-400Fs we acquired and placed with customers under long-term agreements earlier this year,” says Michael Steen, Chief Executive Officer, Atlas. “Our growth in this aircraft type underscores Atlas’ commitment to the 747-freighter platform and the value it provides our customers, including significant payload capacity and unique nose-loading capability.
“Demand remains strong for dedicated large widebody freighters, and with our robust pipeline, we will place these planes with customers under attractive long-term agreements. Through our ongoing investments in innovation and our fleet, we continue to create additional operational flexibility, providing world-class service and acting as a trusted partner to our customers."
All three aircraft are powered by General Electric GEnx engines and are scheduled for delivery in Q32024, says a release from BOC Aviation.
Steven Townend, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, BOC Aviation says: “Atlas manages the world’s largest fleet of Boeing 747 freighter aircraft and is ideally placed to partner with us in the operation of these latest generation aircraft. As global airfreight volumes hit record highs, this transaction highlights our ability to provide capacity solutions to a wide variety of airline customers.”
The 747-8F provides the largest load capacity in the market, with a 20 percent increase in payload capacity over the 747-400F, along with 25 percent more capacity than the 777-200LRF, the release added. "The 747-8 has a 16 percent reduction in fuel consumption compared to the 747-400F. Additionally, the 747-8 freighter is the only factory-built freighter with nose-loading capability, meeting the long-term demands of the airfreight sector."
Atlas has a fleet that includes 65 aircraft consisting of 17 747-8Fs, 39 747-400Fs, five passenger 747-400s and four large cargo freighters (LCFs), the release added.
