Boeing lands big freighter orders

Cargo Logic Holding buying 29 Boeing 777s, Volga-Dnepr purchasing five 747-8s.    Cargo Logic Holding and Volga-Dnepr Group each signed a letter of intent with Boeing at the Farnborough International Airshow on Tuesday to purchase 29 777 and five 747-8 freighters, valued at $9.8 billion and $2 billion, respectively.
  The package of agreements also includes a commitment for Volga-Dnepr and Boeing to explore other freighter opportunities, including new production 767 freighters or converted 737-800 cargo jets.
   Since the start of this year, Boeing has brought in more than 100 orders and commitments for purpose-built and converted freighters. The aircraft manufacturer attributed the increased interest in its cargo planes to the resurgence in the air freight market — demand grew nearly 10 percent in 2017.
   Included in its agreement with Volga-Dnepr, Boeing Global Services will provide AirBridgeCargo — a Volga-Dnepr Group airline — with a crew-pairing system to support the planning and operation of the airline’s 300 crew members. 
   “This service puts the most advanced data analytics capabilities at Volga-Dnepr’s hands as they operate the most advanced freighters in the world,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Boeing’s commercial sales and marketing, in a statement.
   Russia-based Volga-Dnepr is one of the world’s largest operators of 747 cargo planes, while CargoLogicHoldings, a U.K.-based all-cargo carrier, began operations in 2015.