passenger-to-freighter conversion

Airbus has reached another milestone with its young A330 passenger-to-freighter program.

Israel Aerospace Industries has added a second overseas facility to carry out passenger-to-freighter conversions of the Boeing 777-300.

Leasing companies are going bonkers converting used aircraft for cargo. As demand for air cargo cools, there could be a glut that lowers shipping rates.

Aerospace engineering firm Mammoth Freighters hasn’t built one converted freighter yet but is already adding capacity to meet demand.

Thursday was a busy day for aircraft conversion deals, with leasing companies placing deposits to get passenger aircraft changed into freighters.

Boeing 737-800 passenger-to-freighter conversions are selling like hotcakes. A Japanese-owned leasing company snapped up six more slots.

AELF FlightServices, a provider of operating leases, is chasing the cargo market with an order for its first 767 conversion aircraft.

Airbus is so pleased with its first three Airbus A321 freighter conversions that it plans to add six more of the jets.

Boeing, Airbus and independent aviation engineering companies are trying to meet demand for converting standard passenger jets to cargo configuration.

Companies that want standard freighters from the pre-owned market are in a race to find suppliers. Raya Airways and ASL are in the door with their orders.

Vallair says it will turn passenger aircraft into light-duty freighters by clearing out the cabin so boxes can be loaded on the floor.

Embraer is the latest manufacturer to launch a freighter conversion program for used passenger aircraft.

Aero Capital Solutions is a mid-tier aircraft leasing firm that has quickly gone from zero freighters to soon having 40 of them.

Saudi Arabian Airlines is investing in seven 777 converted freighters as it looks ahead to strong cargo opportunities.

Canada isn’t a sleepy cargo destination anymore. E-commerce, cross-border and international shipping are robust, and Canadian airlines are adding freighters to meet the demand.

Converting passenger aircraft for cargo use is like rebuilding a house. One alternative is a quick makeover for carrying parcels in the cabin.

Canadian passenger airline WestJet is transforming itself into a hybrid passenger-freighter airline.

Air Canada is a major international passenger carrier, but did you know it is going big on cargo with special planes, warehouses, IT systems and drones?

ASL Aviation plans to acquire at least 10 737-800s and pay Boeing to turn them into freighters as demand grows from customers such as Amazon, DHL and FedEx in Europe.

Alaska Airlines is growing and so too are its cargo ambitions.

Can the air cargo market absorb a record onslaught of new capacity?

When planes age they become less pleasant for passengers and cost more to operate. That’s when companies like Air Transport Services Group buy them for cargo.

Lufthansa is complementing its transcontinental freighter fleet with some smaller aircraft.

SmartLynx will use the Airbus conversion center to modify a half dozen small jets for full-time cargo operations.

CBD — we know what you’re thinking — also stands for Chinese Development Bank and it is going deeper into air cargo leasing.

Third-party logistics provider Flexport’s latest innovation: renting modified passenger aircraft for dedicated cargo service from a novice cargo carrier.

The new A320 passenger-to-freighter jet is ready to join its sister, the A321, on the market as the aircraft attract more interest for airlines.

New financiers are backing a major fleet expansion at Mexican cargo carrier MasAir.

Aeronautical Engineering takes used planes and turns them into cargo configuration. More countries are approving a new design for its 737-800 freighter.

Air Canada is deploying a new cargo jet to alleviate the cargo delays caused when flooding partially cut off the Port of Vancouver.

The A321 passenger-to-freighter aircraft is only a year old. Now its sister, the A320, is transitioning to an all-cargo configuration too.

Qantas and Air Canada are pioneers in swapping older passenger planes from their fleets and turning them into full-time cargo haulers.

Cargo airlines and leasing companies are sucking up small and midsize freighters converted from passenger configuration. Here come the big boys.

Cargojet is the launch customer for Mammoth Freighters, which turns used passenger planes into full-time cargo haulers.

The air cargo market is sizzling. Carriers need more planes and investments are pouring in for new and converted freighters.

A handful of small airlines want a piece of the action in air cargo, which continues to grow at a robust pace.

Amazon Air’s top airfreight supplier is diversifying its vendor base for reconstructing passenger planes into cargo jets.

The Airbus A321 and the A330 are the new kids on the block in converting passenger planes to cargo, in a sector dominated so far by Boeing.

More air cargo operators are interested in flying the Airbus A330 as a converted freighter and Israel Aircraft Industries has jumped in to produce them.

Mammoth Freighters plans to produce 777 passenger-to-freighter conversions. A new deal makes it more mammoth.

Used Airbus A321s are getting a second life in the cargo arena. More companies are jumping in to do the modifications.

Mammoth Freighters has deep pockets and ambitious goals for selling converted passenger planes for cargo operations.

Most all-cargo carriers that buy used passenger planes rebuild them for heavy cargo. Easter Airlines has a quicker, cheaper idea.

Aircraft leasing and management firm BBAM showed its confidence in the new Airbus A321 freighter design by placing a large order with an aftermarket shop to overhaul passenger planes to carry cargo.

Air Transport Services Group is like a Swiss Army knife. It flies cargo and passenger planes for other airlines, leases aircraft, does aircraft maintenance and freighter conversions, and provides ground handling. It’s all clicking for the bottom line.

Modern narrowbody freighters that can be reclaimed for cargo are very popular with all-cargo operators because they fit well with express networks. Leasing companies are making more planes, like the 837-800, available.

Lufthansa Cargo is an early adopter of the Airbus A321 converted freighter and will use a passenger affiliate to fly the aircraft.

The Airbus A321 is the new kid on the block when it comes to cargo aircraft. Engineering companies take retired passenger planes and transform them into planes that can carry lots of cargo.

Air Canada is making cargo a bigger part of its business plan. It’s turning eight passenger planes into double-deck freighters.

Some car owners will only take their cars to the dealer for maintenance, while others are content with an independent mechanic. The choice is similar for airlines that want to modify aircraft to carry cargo.

LATAM Airlines will add 10 767 passenger planes with a repair shop licensed by Boeing so they can be retrofitted to carry cargo on the main deck.

Leasing companies are investing in pre-owned passenger planes that can be converted into freighters, and production companies are stepping up to meet their need.

Airbus is competing not only against Boeing to sell small converted freighters, but it now has a new U.S. competitor in retrofitting A321s.

Aircraft conversion houses tear apart passenger aircraft, then reinforce the walls and floor so they can handle heavy cargo on the main deck. Business is growing along with trade.

The A380 has mostly been a bust as a giant passenger plane. Now Airbus is trying to salvage some value by offering to convert passenger planes into full-time cargo planes. But there’s a twist. Passengers will still ride along on the top deck. Will airlines buy in?

USA Jet Airlines, a small cargo operator, is converting old MD-88s into freighters. Airlines gave up on this plane, so why is anyone investing to reuse these aircraft?

Icelandair is raising capital with a sale-leaseback of two large jets and then turning them into freighters. It’s an innovative move.

Boeing 767s are coveted by all-cargo carriers. LATAM Airlines is doing an in-house swap of passenger planes to its cargo division, which will send them to Boeing to convert into freighters.

You’ve probably flown in a Boeing 737-800, a next-generation variant of this popular 737, but when they are put to pasture they become valuable assets for all-cargo airlines. ASL Airlines in Europe is snapping some up and converting them to freighters.

Aerospace engineering firms are busy converting passenger planes to pure freighters.

A new type of air cargo plane is entering the market to much fanfare. The Airbus A321 has many capabilities. Titan Airways is getting the second freighter ever produced.

Retrofitting a passenger plane to operate as a heavy cargo plane is a big engineering job that requires many new parts and disposal of old ones. Logistics giant Kuehne + Nagel says it can reduce inventory and transportation costs to make conversions more economical.

Air Canada is showing itself to be one of the most innovative airlines around. It plans to start an all-cargo subsidiary on top of new initiatives in drone delivery and seatless aircraft that can carry cargo in the cabin.

The Airbus A321 is a ubiquitous people-hauler, but now Australia Post has the first freighter version of this popular aircraft.

(Updated Oct. 260, 2020, 9 A.M. ET, with more on EFEW, Sine Draco Aviation) Questions about whether the new Airbus A321 converted freighter could generate orders and catch up to the Boeing 737-800, which has a three-year head start in the express delivery market, are quickly dissipating. Aircraft trading and leasing company Vallair announced Tuesday […]

The A321 has a lot of potential in the air cargo market because of its efficiency and payload. Companies are beginning to convert passenger planes into cargo freighters.

The 737-800 and 767-300 passenger planes are ripe for converting to all-cargo configurations due to their age and capabilities. Boeing is adding extra capacity to keep up with orders.

When some passenger planes get long in the tooth, they get a second life in cargo. The latest candidate for conversion in the Airbus A321. It offers more shipping space than a Boeing 737 and could be flying to an airport near you soon with your online order.

Boeing was shut out on orders in January, but the sting was softened a bit by a deal for new passenger-to-freighter conversions.