Boeing World Air Cargo Forecast (WACF) 2008-2009
Boeing World Air Cargo Forecast(WACF) 2008-2009
Read MoreTag: Boeing
FedEx Express introduces fuel efficient Boeing 757 to aircraft fleet
FedEx Express has launched its inaugural revenue flight using a Boeing 757 freighter. The new route provides reliable cargo service between the Memphis International Airport (MEM) and the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) eight times per week.
This FedEx Boeing 757 flight into DCA also serves a new airport for FedEx, further extending the reliability, connectivity and quality of FedEx service throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
In addition to customer benefits, the introduction of the Boeing 757 to the FedEx fleet continues the company’s commitment to growth in an efficient, environmentally-conscious way. The Boeing 757 is known for its improved fuel efficiency and reduced noise levels, and will be phased in over time as the less fuel-efficient Boeing 727 aircraft are retired from service.
The introduction of the Boeing 757 model into the company’s fleet offers measurable cost benefits for FedEx during a period of unprecedented energy prices. The aircraft has significantly improved fuel-burn efficiencies, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing fuel consumption up to 36 percent while providing 20 percent more capacity per flight, when compared to the Boeing 727 it replaces. FedEx Express plans to introduce an additional 11 Boeing 757s into service over the next year.
Efforts at FedEx Express to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions extend across the operation.
Read MoreBlue Dart to replace Boeing 737 with 757
Move will help the company increase its carrying capacity without increasing fleet size.
The Chennai-based air cargo company, Blue Dart Aviation, has decided to replace all its four ageing Boeing 737 cargo aircrafts with the Boeing 757. The move is primarily aimed at augmenting carrying capacity without increasing the current fleet size of seven.
Last year, the company inducted a 757 freight carrier, which was its seventh from DHL Expresses’ European Air Transport. DHL Express holds 81 per cent stake in Blue Dart.
Tushar Jani, chairman, Blue Dart Aviation, said, “We cannot increase our fleet size because of lack of parking space at airports and hence will replace the Boeing 737 with Boeing 757.”
The company intends to have a mix of leased and owned 757-200 SF (special freighters). At present, the cost of a Boeing 757-200 SF (special freighters) is about USD 80-85 million.
The replacement of aircrafts will help the company increase its carrying capacity by 32 per cent from 148 tonnes to 196 tonnes by the end of 2011.
The replacement initiative comes at a time when the company is optimistic about starting scheduled overseas operations, perhaps this year.
Company executives said the move would help improving aircraft utilisation due to increased flying hours. The company currently is evaluating commercial viability of flying to overseas destinations.
Read MoreBoeing remains optimistic about China air cargo freights
Boeing expressed a positive outlook with regards to China’s air-cargo traffic, with an expected rise of 6.1% a year for the next two decades.
The rationale for this growth is backed by the increasing number of airlines that will be involved in transporting manufactured products from China. With global trade forecast to rise by 7.6% by the end of the year, more products will be shipped, thereby increasing demand for cargo planes.
According to the International Air Transport Association, an international industry trade group of airlines, China’s overseas air-cargo transportations are expected to increase at a rate of 14% per year for the next couple of years.
Statistics have shown that in the first half of the year, cargo volume rose by 15% to a total of 1.83 million tons.
With China enjoying the most rapid growth in the world, many airlines including Lufthansa, Korean Air Lines and Singapore Airlines have forged cargo airline ventures.
Read MoreUPS Airlines is retiring its fleet of 727s
UPS Airlines was founded in 1988 with seven leased Boeing 727s, and for the next decade the plane remained the backbone of the shipping giant’s growing fleet.
But by August, UPS will fly the last of its 16 remaining 727s to the New Mexico desert, where they’ll be stored.
The planes, built from the early 1960s until August 1984, no longer fit UPS’ needs, spokesman Mark Giuffre said.
UPS has placed several orders for new planes over the past year or two, including 27 Boeing 767-300ER freighters announced last month.
The freighters are to be delivered between 2009 and 2012.
The company also has firm commitments to buy 10 Boeing 747-400 jets to be delivered by next year.
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