UPS Airlines, one of America’s major cargo airlines has recently placed an order for eight (08) of Boeing’s 767-300 airplanes. The current order will bring the airline’s total freighter fleet to a hundred and eight (108) jets.
Going by Boeing’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales, Ihssane Mounir, “We are honoured to play an important role in UPS’ efforts to operate a more sustainable, more efficient fleet. With this order, UPS will operate more than a hundred (100) 767 freighters, and will build its fleet of Boeing and Boeing-heritage aircraft to more than two hundred and sixty (260) airplanes”, he said.
According to Nando Cesarone, UPS Executive Vice President/President U.S, “The additional 767s will help us continue to deliver what matters to UPS customers around the world. This is a very versatile aircraft that we operate across every region of the globe. The newly ordered aircraft will help us meet our customers’ needs while improving efficiency, sustainability and reliability,” he noted.
Sources say delivery is to commence in 2025, with an additional 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) to enter service in late 2023. The current requisition is a buildup on the carrier’s previous order of nineteen (19) 767s made in 2021.
Boeing continues to dominate the freighter market, with the manufacturer’s cargo jets currently making up 90% of global freighter capacity. Such worldwide success coupled with the fact that UPS was its pioneer customer when the 767 freighter was launched in 1995 may partly explain why the airline now operates two hundred and thirty-eight (238) Boeing freighters, among which are the 767, 757, 747 and MD-11 jets.
Experts say the versatility of the 767 freighter is as a result of its intercontinental range, since the aircraft is based on the 767-300 ER (Extended Range) passenger aircraft. Combine this with its capacity to carry 52.4 tonnes of revenue cargo, and you have a platform for long-haul, regional and feeder markets.
Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook for 2022 projects that global freighter fleet will increase to 3,610 airplanes by 2041, with airlines needing 2,795 more dedicated cargo jets over the next twenty (20) years – a figure which includes standard body conversions (1,300); wide-body converted freighters (555) and new wide-bodies (940).
