Latest news with #A330-200
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mexican carrier Awesome Cargo receives first heavy-duty A330 freighter
Startup Mexican airline Awesome Cargo, which provides dedicated aircraft and flight service to logistics companies and other customers, has taken delivery of its first fully capable freighter aircraft after operating two light-duty freighters since its inception 18 months ago. Airbus affiliate Elbe Flugzeugwerke announced Tuesday it has completed the first conversion of an Airbus A330 passenger jet to cargo configuration for Air Lease Corp., which is leasing the plane to Awesome Cargo. The A330-200 converted by EFW is an ex-Alitalia airframe that was operated until last year by ITA Airways. After some training flights on Wednesday, the aircraft will depart Dresden, Germany, for another facility where it will be painted, EFW spokeswoman Anke Lemke said in an email. Awesome couldn't be reached by press time to determine a specific entry-into-service date, but the company is likely to carry out training and other procedures before flying commences later this summer. Awesome Cargo, incorporated as TM Aerolineas S.A., currently leases two Airbus A330-200 aircraft that were temporarily modified with a Class E cargo compartment to carry light boxes in the main cabin. The partial modification, which is less capital-intensive than a full overhaul but quicker to complete, involved removing the seats and other cabin structures and adding a smoke detection system. The use of auxiliary passenger-freighters was common during the COVID crisis, when travel dried up and airlines yanked seats from some aircraft to take advantage of soaring cargo demand to earn revenue. Industry experts say the planes don't make economic sense at normal cargo rates, especially when fuel prices are high, because the capacity is much less than a heavy-duty freighter and manually loading through the narrow cabin door is labor intensive. Only one of Awesome's aircraft is currently in service, according to Flightradar24 tracking data. Awesome and Air Lease plan to fully retrofit the two aircraft with a cargo door, reinforced floors and walls, and a cargo loading system so they can handle large containers on the main deck. Based at Felipe Angeles International Airport outside Mexico City, Awesome Cargo operates twice weekly to China, via Los Angeles International Airport (returning via Seoul, South Korea, and Anchorage, Alaska), and to Latin America for e-commerce platforms and logistics providers. On May 6, it began a weekly service focused on perishable goods from Tijuana Airport in Mexico to Zhengzhou, China, under a contract with California-based ARC Global Logistics, according to a LinkedIn post. Flight data only shows two Tijuana-China flights so far. The A330-200 converted freighter has a gross payload of 61 tons at a maximum range of 4,200 nautical miles. It is more suited for heavier, general cargo, whereas the A330-300 is the preferred choice for lighter e-commerce shipments because of its extra volume. 'We are adopting a strategic approach that balances fleet expansion with market demand and operational efficiency,' said Awesome Cargo CEO and founder Luis Ramos in the EFW news release. Ramos previously held a senior management position at Mexican carrier Aerounion before taking over as CEO of Mexican ground handling and sales agent Aerocharter de Mexico in 2016. Aerocharter established a U.S. subsidiary at Los Angeles International Airport and then established Awesome Cargo. In 2024, Aerocharter formed a joint venture with PrimeFlight Aviation Services. It typically takes about nine months to convert an A330 to cargo configuration. EFW has fallen behind schedule with A330 deliveries since 2023 because of labor, engine and supply chain challenges, as well as some management missteps. But all aircraft manufacturers and conversion shops are experiencing some level of delay these days for similar reasons. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. Sign up for the weekly American Shipper Air newsletter here. Air Canada reaffirms cargo commitment after 777 freighter cancellation New Air Canada freighters help offset decline in cargo revenue The post Mexican carrier Awesome Cargo receives first heavy-duty A330 freighter appeared first on FreightWaves.
Sky News AU
06-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Jetstar to axe flights between Sydney and Honolulu as Qantas confirms services from Perth to Johannesburg and Auckland
Jetstar is pulling the pin on its flights to the United States as part of a raft of international network changes announced by the Qantas Group. The group announced on Tuesday the budget airline's last flight between Sydney and Honolulu - currently its only destination in the United States - will operate on October 24. Qantas will subsequently boost its flights between the two airports to between five and six per week in place of Jetstar, which will shift the Boeing 787 used on the route elsewhere. Jetstar's axing of flights from the harbour city to Hawaii comes after the low-cost carrier ceased services between Melbourne and Honolulu, with Qantas taking over that route. The group further revealed that Qantas is launching two new routes out of Western Australia from December. Flights between Perth and Johannesburg will commence on December 7, followed by Perth-Auckland services a day later. Qantas will use A330-200 aircraft on both routes, which will each operate three times per week. Qantas said the two new services "have been made possible by funding allocated from the federal government to Australian Border Force and the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry to deliver additional border services at airports". "The funding will enable Perth Airport to invest in additional staffing, equipment and facilities that increase border and biosecurity capacity and in turn allow the airport to host more international flights," a Qantas statement said. Qantas has also revealed changes to its services from Brisbane to Los Angeles through its partnership with American Airlines, and between Melbourne and Dallas. "For December 2025 and January 2026, the airlines will enable a continuation of daily 787 Dreamliner services between Brisbane and Los Angeles with Qantas operating four flights per week and American Airlines operating three flights per week," the statement said. "For this same period, Qantas will increase Boeing 787 flights between Melbourne and Dallas to daily, with its Boeing 787 flights between Brisbane and Los Angeles returning to daily from February 2026." Qantas currently operates an A330 on the Brisbane-Los Angeles route, with the 787 to replace the Airbus aircraft from October.
