ASL Airlines Australia adds third 737-800BCF freighter

ASL Airlines Australia is set to take delivery of its third Boeing 737-800BCF freighter, VH-AZ4, with the aircraft scheduled to arrive in Brisbane on September 19 following an approximately 18,000-kilometre ferry flight from Shannon, Ireland.

The aircraft departed Shannon on Thursday and is routing via Sofia, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and Lombok before touching down in Brisbane. ASL Airlines Australia credited teams across ASL Airlines Australia, ASL Group, ASL Ireland, and Southern Cross International for coordinating the delivery, which involved securing regulatory approvals and overflight and landing clearances across multiple Flight Information Regions.

This 19.6-year-old aircraft previously flew passengers for Shenzhen Airlines. In 2023, it was converted into a freighter and operated by ASL Airlines Ireland for SolitAir (registered as EI-HRB) until recently.

The addition of VH-AZ4 marks the latest step in the carrier's freighter fleet build-out. ASL Airlines Australia took delivery of its first 737-800BCF, VH-CYK, in early 2024, followed by a second aircraft, MSN 28595, in August 2025, which enabled the airline to launch dedicated trans-Tasman cargo services for FedEx between Australia and New Zealand from late September 2025.

The Sydney Bankstown-based carrier, a subsidiary of Ireland's ASL Aviation Holdings, has signalled further expansion plans, having disclosed intentions to add four more 737-800BCFs to its Australia-New Zealand operation, with some aircraft to be transferred from ASL's European fleet. The airline has also entered a conditional agreement to acquire the New Zealand and Australia freight business of Airwork Group, a deal that remains subject to due diligence and regulatory conditions.

Alongside its 737-800BCF freighters, ASL Airlines Australia, formerly Pionair, rebranded after ASL Aviation Holdings' 2023 acquisition and operates a fleet of BAe 146-200 and BAe 146-300 aircraft, and provides ACMI cargo services mainly for Qantas Freight.