Latest news with #AnkeLemke
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.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Logistics company Jet Freight to start virtual cargo airline in India
Confity Capital Partners, a Dubai-based private equity wealth management firm, plans to invest in at least 10 Airbus A330 converted freighter aircraft for use in the fast-growing India subcontinent airfreight market. Jet Freight Logistics, based in Mumbai, India, is the launch customer and will be the first Indian cargo airline to operate the A330 converted freighter platform. The Mumbai-based freight management company will lease an undisclosed number of aircraft from Confity and outsource flight operations to a licensed commercial airline. No start date has been announced, but when the flights begin Jet Freight will be the first Indian company to operate the A330 converted freighter platform. Elbe Flugzeugwerke, an Airbus joint venture with Singapore-based ST Engineering, announced Friday that it signed an agreement to convert several of the large Airbus medium-widebody jets from passenger to cargo configuration. A news release did not indicate how many aircraft are involved in the order or how many Jet Freight Logistics will lease, but EFW spokeswoman Anke Lemke said Confity has reserved production slots for at least 10 aircraft. Conversion work on Confity-supplied aircraft will begin at the end of the year at EFW's facility in Dresden, Germany, and other partner sites around the world. The air cargo market in India has a need for widebody freighters because of rising e-commerce volumes, domestic consumption, exports and infrastructure projects. Growth is also made possible by increased high-value manufacturing, stronger trade ties with the United States and Europe, and improvements in airport infrastructure and cargo handling capacity. Trade and Transport Group, a consulting and research firm, estimates air cargo tonnage in India will grow between 6.2% and 9.1% in the second half of the decade. Lemke said Confity will modify both the A330-200 and A330-300 variants. The -200 has a gross payload of 60 tons with a range of 4,785 miles. The -300 can carry up to 62 tons with a volumetric capacity of more than 18,500 feet. Both planes have more capacity than the Boeing 767, the dominant platform for cargo conversions in the medium widebody segment. Confity is an experienced investment fund manager that is entering the aerospace sector for the first time. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. RELATED READING: Amazon Air lands in India The post Logistics company Jet Freight to start virtual cargo airline in India appeared first on FreightWaves. Sign in to access your portfolio
