Alaska Air Cargo debuts first converted 737-700 freighter

The airline’s new aircraft, which is entering commercial service this week by carrying goods from Seattle to Alaska, was converted in Tel Aviv over the course of 19 months by Israel Aerospace Industries.    Alaska Air Cargo on Sept. 26 introduced what it says is a world’s first: a Boeing 737-700 cargo aircraft that was converted from an all-passenger to an all-freight aircraft.
   The plane is entering commercial service this week by carrying goods from Seattle to Alaska, Alaska Air Cargo said.
   The freighter was converted in Tel Aviv over the course of 19 months by Israel Aerospace Industries. Alaska Air pilots then flew the converted plane from Tel Aviv to Belfast, Ireland on Sept. 6. After that, the plane was flown to Bangor, Maine, then continued on to Greensboro, North Carolina for scheduled maintenance. Later, the aircraft was painted in Victorville, California before touching down in Seattle.
   “This one-of-a-kind aircraft marks the beginning of a new era at Alaska Airlines,” Alaska Airlines Vice President of Airport Operations & Customer Service Wayne Newton said. “With an all-freight fleet, our cargo business is now a stand-alone operation, allowing us to better focus on the needs of our cargo customers.”
   Alaska Air said it plans to retire its entire 737-400 fleet, including one freighter and four “combi” planes that carry both passengers and cargo, by Oct. 18. The company also plans to take delivery of two more converted 737-700 freighters, allowing the new, all-cargo fleet to carry 15 percent more capacity overall.
   “The new freighter will transform our cargo business and allow us to provide more efficient and consistent service,” Alaska Air Cargo Managing Director Jason Berry explained in a statement. “Now we can move more freight than ever before, and optimize schedules to meet the needs of our cargo partners.”
   The new fleet of all-freight aircraft will primarily serve the state of Alaska initially, and provide regular, scheduled service to 17 communities across the state, the airline said.
   The 737-700, according to Alaska Air Cargo, has a nonstop range of 3,200 miles and maximum net payload of 42,000 pounds. Although smaller than Alaska’s current 737-400 freighter, the 737-700 can carry 10,000 more pounds of cargo per plane, according to the airline.