Air Hong Kong (LD, Hong Kong International) is holding onto its remaining A300-600Fs for longer than expected, retiring them from the fleet in 2025 rather than in 2024 as previously planned. The delay, first reported by Cargo Facts, was revealed in updated fleet data supplied by Cathay Pacific Group, Air Hong Kong's parent entity, when announcing its latest financial results last week.
ADS-B flight tracking data shows the three aircraft, B-LDB (msn 856), B-LDG (msn 870), and B-LDH (msn 871), continue to operate for Air Hong Kong on a daily basis. However, the cargo carrier did retire four A300-600Fs in 2024 and one in 2023. Air Hong Kong told ch-aviation it intends to return the remaining A300 freighters this year. The airline also continues to operate two A330-200Fs and ten A330-300(P2F)s. All of the aircraft, including the remaining A300 freighters, operate for DHL Express.
DHL Express's Malcolm Macbeth, SVP global air fleet management, told Cargo Facts that it was swapping out its Asia-based A300 freighters for A330-300P2Fs. The smaller freighters will go to Europe where maintenance support is easier. However, delays at conversion facilities may be slowing down this plan. Air Hong Kong also told ch-aviation that its A300 freighters would be replaced by A330 freighters. The A300-600F's are expected to be transferred to DHL's European network operating out of Leipzig and East Midlands Airport.
The aircraft was the last of four ex-Qatar Airways freighters operated by Air Belgium under a CMI deal with French logistics giant CMA CGM. The other three were already moved to the firm's in-house carrier CMA CGM Air Cargo.
The airline's cargo fleet comprises two A330-200(P2F)s and three B747-8Fs (of which one is parked for maintenance). It also operates two A330-200s and two A330-900s. The carrier is currently in judicial restructuring after exiting its "chronically unprofitable" scheduled passenger operations.
The airline said deliveries are scheduled from 2024 to 2026. The four Airbus converted freighters will complement rather than replace SkyTaxi's existing fleet, which comprises two B767-200(SF)s. The Polish cargo specialist is also planning to add a third B767 in the near future, although it admitted that the availability of the type on the market was very limited.
SkyTaxi told ch-aviation it was too early to discuss the identity of the A330-300(P2F)s.
Both SkyTaxi B767s are also leased from Cargo Aircraft Management. The leasing unit of Air Transport Services Group does not own any A330s at this moment, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows, but has conversion slots for 29 units under an agreement with Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW). While the lessor has traditionally focused on widebody Boeing freighters (as well as a small number of B757-200(C)s), it recently acquired two A321-200s as its first Airbus aircraft. Both will be placed with Malaysia's Raya Airways post conversion.
CMA CGM Air Cargo Flies First A330-200F Commercial Flight
The new air freight division of the CMA CGM Group, a French container transportation and shipping company, has just completed its first cargo flight between Europe and the United States. Based at Liege Airport (LGG), the global shipping giant flew its recently acquired Airbus A330-200F from LGG to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) on March 13.
CMA CGM Air Cargo will offer daily flights from Belgium to Chicago. Photo CMA CGM Group
The aircraft, registration number OO-CMA, is the first of four second-hand freighters that CMA CGM is buying for its new air cargo division, aptly named CMA CGM AIR CARGO. Because of the huge demand for air freight, rather than waiting to purchase new aircraft, the planes were acquired from Qatar Airways Cargo. Likewise, rather than waiting to get its Air Operators Certificate (AOC), CMA CGM AIR CARGO’s aircraft will be operating under Air Belgiums AOC.
Under its plan of offering daily flights from one of the most strategically placed logistics airports in Europe, CMA CGM AIR CARGO says it offers customers the following benefits:
Unbeatable transit times for urgent shipments
Connections from Europe to Chicago with intermodal connections in several regions
Fast and agile solutions to meet all customer’s needs.
Why Liege Airport?
With its strategic location at the heart of the Amsterdam-Paris-Frankfurt golden triangle, Liege Airport handles 73% of all European air freight. Located less than a day’s drive from most European cities, Liege Airport is easily accessed by a superb network of uncongested motorways. While focusing primarily on air freight, the Liege airport operators can offer the facilities and prices that other airports cannot match.
Customers will be able to transport their shipments to other regions. Photo: CMA CGM Group
CMA CGM AIR CARGO also chose Air Belgium to operate its aircraft because its CEO Niky Terzakis used to be the boss at Liege Aiport-based TNT Airlines. So not only does Niky Terzakis know how to run an airline, but he also understands air freight logistics.
“We are really proud to be hosting a world-renowned group such as CMA CGM as it develops its cargo operations. A French family group that draws on the expertise of a Belgian company such as Air Belgium, works with Sabena Aerospace for its maintenance, and bases its aircraft at Liege Airport: what we have here is three companies coming together with the same overall ambition to grow and develop.
“The selection of Liege Airport shows once again not only that it has a prominent place in the world of cargo, but also and above all that it is playing an important role in a multimodal vision of logistics. We are delighted to welcome CMA CGM to Liège and to be partners in their projects.”
Liege Airport is playing a vital role
While acting as a vital link in delivering personal protective equipment (PPE) worldwide to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Liege Airport saw a 24% increase in cargo than 2019, with 1,120,643 metric tons passing through the facility. Liege Airport now hopes to play a vital role in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines around the world.
Liege Airport has played a vital role during the pandemic. Photo: CMA CGM Group
CMA CGM AIR CARGO expects the second of its four Airbus A330-200F to begin regular flights between Liege and the United States in the coming days.
On 15 February, Air Belgium took delivery of its first of four A330-200Fs. The aircraft, registered OO-CMA (1688) arrived at Brussels-Zaventem around 08:30 from Doha, Qatar. At around 12:30 the aircraft, still carrying the basic grey livery of Qatar Airways where it flew as A7-AFI, departed again. The destination was Dublin, where the Airbus will receive a new livery.
As previously posted, Air Belgium will operate the aircraft on behalf of cargo shipping giant CMA CGM, which have acquired the four A330-200Fs through its new air cargo subsidiary. The main base of operations will be Liege.
In the meantime, the ambition of CMA CGM to also acquire 30% of Groupe Dubreuil to make use of the belly cargo capacity of Air Caraïbes and FrenchBee is now off the table as both companies couldn't come to an agreement.
Air Belgium (KF, Brussels Charleroi) will operate two of its four incoming A330-200(F)s under a CMI agreement with French shipping giant CMA CGM, which has reportedly set up a subsidiary to own the dedicated freighters, The Loadstar has reported citing internal sources.
The Belgian carrier recently announced that initially, it would add four of the freighters, growing to six, as it seeks to diversify away from its reliance on A340-300-operated passenger services. While the carrier did not formally confirm the type, it has been reported that it would add four ex-Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad Int'l) A330-200(F)s.
Sources told The Loadstar that at least two of the aircraft - thus far owned by Qatar Airways - will be acquired by CMA CGM through its new unit CMA CGM Air Cargo. They will subsequently be dry-leased to Air Belgium, which will operate them on behalf of the shipping firm.
CMA CGM remains in talks with Groupe Dubreuil, the owner of Air Caraibes, Air Caraibes Atlantique, and French Bee, regarding the potential acquisition of a 30% stake. In a September 2020 Memorandum of Understanding, CMA CGM underlined its plan to use the bellyhold cargo capacity onboard A350s operated by Groupe Dubreuil's airlines. However, as the talks dragged on inconclusively towards the end of the year, CMA CGM was said to have been leaning towards setting up its own cargo carrier instead. The privately-held shipping giant did not comment on the reports. Talks with Groupe Dubreuil are formally ongoing and are expected to conclude either way in February 2021.
Qatar Airways Has Retired All Of Its Airbus A330 Freighters
As of yesterday, Qatar Airways’ cargo division is no longer operating the Airbus A330 freighter. Its remaining four A330-200Fs were taken out of service in light of the recent triple-Boeing 777F delivery, which took place at the start of the month.
One of the airlines’ A330 freighters had already been sold to Wizz Air, which is operating it on behalf of the Hungarian government. Photo: Airbus
The outgoing Airbus freighters
STAT Trade Times, who interviewed Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, Guillaume Halleux, confirmed the departure of the freighters. As part of the interview, Halleux said the following:
“We had five A330 freighters. We sold one of them in August last year. And the remaining were planned to exit. Therefore, as on January 31, they will be out of our fleet.”
The final four Airbus freighters were A330-200s registered as A7-AFG, AFH, AFI, and AFJ. These freighters are relatively young as they range between just five and six years of age.
The delayed phase-out
Qatar Airways had actually planned to remove its A330 freighters earlier than January 2021. In fact, November 2020 was the original phase-out time. However, this had been pushed back due to delays in Boeing’s delivery of new 777 freighters.
The airline has been phasing out these jets, with three leaving in 2019, leaving the company with five in 2020. The first of these five was to be removed in April 2020. However, with the onset of the global health crisis, this was moved back to July-August.
Interestingly, the sale of the one A330 last summer was to Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air. According to The Load Star, the Hungarian government had apparently been facing criticism for being unable to procure air freight capacity during the PPE peak. Its response was to purchase an A330-200F from Qatar Airways. Wizz Air is the official operator of the jet, but the aircraft’s main work is on behalf of the Hungarian government.
Wizz Air to Start Flying The Airbus A330 on behalf of the Hungarian Government.
The Hungarian Government has acquired an A330 freighter from Qatar Airways Cargo. The intention is for budget carrier Wizz Air to operate it on behalf of the Foreign Ministry. Such an arrangement would mean the continuation of a long-haul cargo-cooperation that saw its beginnings during the height of the pandemic.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi sees a catchment area of five billion passengers. Photo: Wizz Air
The cargo division of Qatar Airways is currently phasing out its Airbus A330-200Fs in favor of Boeing 777Fs. Thus far, one of the A330 freighter jets has found new employment with the Hungarian Government. The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has acquired the nearly six-years-old plane as a means to secure the country’s cargo capacity, the need for which was highlighted by the ongoing pandemic.
Civilian carrier for easier access
The Government wants to delegate the task of operating the A330 to Hungarian budget carrier Wizz Air. According to Aerotime Hub, and first reported in Hungarian by AIRportal, the Ministry believes that a civilian carrier could more easily secure landing permits in other countries than if they would register the freighter as a military aircraft. When the plane is not on assignment for the Government, it will be used to ferry cargo commercially.
General reports seem fairly certain that an arrangement has been reached. So does Planespotters.net, which places the aircraft with Wizz at the latest update just yesterday, September 6th. Meanwhile, we shall have to wait for official confirmation as a spokesperson for Wizz’s Hungarian office told Simple Flying that,
“Wizz Air and the Hungarian government are in discussions with regard to the operation of the aircraft and if and when an arrangement is finalized we will make an announcement.”
The aircraft in question was delivered to Qatar Airways’ cargo division in 2014. Photo: Rama via Wikimedia Commons
Aircraft still in Doha
The aircraft in question has been registered with Qatar as A7-AFF. It was withdrawn from service on July 16th. However, it has since retaken to the skies. On August 31st, it took off for a spin over the Persian Gulf on what can only have been a functional check flight. The aircraft departed from Doha’s Hamad International Airport at 14:58 local time and landed back again just one minute short of two hours later.
As it was only six weeks after the plane was taken out of service, the flight could potentially have been in preparation for the transaction. Meanwhile, there is yet to be an announcement for when it will transfer to its new home-base in Central Europe.
The A330 went on a maintenance spin over the Persian Gulf a week ago. Photo: FlightRadar24.com
Continuing collaboration
If the arrangement goes through, it would not be the first time Wizz will fly supplies for the Hungarian Government. In late March, the Central European LCC ventured far away from its usual routes, flying long-haul to Shanghai to collect 11 tons of medical equipment. At the time, Wizz CEO József Váradi said it was an “honor and a privilege” that his company had been chosen for the mission.
Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad Int'l) is planning to retain its five A330-200(F)s through at least the end of 2020 or later if demand for cargo remains high, Chief Officer Cargo Guillaume Halleux told The STAT Times.
"A few of our A330-200(F)s that were due to leave the fleet are now being retained to keep up with demand until the crisis eases. The plan was to progressively exit them, but under the current conditions we would like to keep them until the end of this year," Halleux said.
The airline initially planned to retire the five freighters between April and November 2020. The aircraft are just five years old on average and were due to be replaced by B777-Fs. Qatar Airways owns all five of the Airbus freighters, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows.
Halleux underlined that the decision to retain the A330-200(F)s does not mean that the deliveries of the B777-F(s) will be slowed down or deferred.
"We will continue to receive our five new B777 freighters that were supposed to replace the A330(F)s," he said.
Qatar Airways already operates and owns twenty-one B777-F(s). It has a further five on order directly from Boeing. According to the original schedule, three of these aircraft should be delivered by the end of 2020 and the other two in 2021. The airline's cargo fleet also includes two B747-8(F)s.
Halleux added that given ample dedicated-freighter capacity available to Qatar Airways, the airline has decided against reconfiguring any of its passenger aircraft into makeshift freighters.
"We have 28 freighters. That is a massive main deck capacity, without being desperate to the point of using the cabin of the passenger flight. I am not saying it is bad. I am saying is it is extremely labour intensive, and it takes a lot of time. I have a faster, quicker and more reliable solution with my freighters and therefore we chose not to do it," he claimed.
The lessor said in a statement that the remaining two airframes - msn 1386 and 1350 - will deliver before year-end.
The aircraft will form the backbone of Sichuan Airlines Logistics Co. (SALCO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sichuan Airlines. SALCO plans to use the widebody freighters to open up longhaul routes to Europe, Brussels National being among its initial destinations.
EgyptAir Cargo (MSX, Cairo Int'l) commenced A330-200(F) operations on September 23 with the world's first P2F converted A330-200 SU-GCE (msn 600). The Airbus freighter converted by EFW in Germany will be used by the EgyptAir Holding cargo operator on its 3x weekly Cairo-Cologne/Bonn service. As of October, the frequency will increase to 5x weekly.
According to a press release by the German airport, EgyptAir Cargo also plans to serve Johannesburg O.R. Tambo with the aircraft from October onwards. Besides the A330-200(F) in operation now and a second ex-EgyptAir (MS, Cairo Int'l) aircraft currently being converted at EFW's facility in Dresden, EgyptAir Cargo also operates two A300-600(F) freighters, ch-aviation fleets module shows. EgyptAir Holding also owns an older A300B4-200(F) that last flew in March 2018.
The cargo carrier's VP Economics Affairs, Adel Helal, told Air Cargo Week earlier this year that with a third A330-200(F) freighter in place by summer 2019, the fleet rollover would allow EgyptAir Cargo to start services to New York JFK, Johannesburg, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta, Shanghai Pudong, and Hong Kong Int'l.
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