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Qantas is set to convert two of its widebody A330-200 passenger aircraft into freighters in response to a surge in online shopping spurred on by COVID.
One of the aircraft, which holds 28 business and 243 economy seats, will be used in the business’ international freight network, while another will transport packages for its fleet that serves Australia Post.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the airline’s freight business had “boomed” during the pandemic, and that much of this effect will continue even as restrictions end.
“The converted A330 aircraft for Australia Post will be able to carry around 50 tonnes of cargo each flight, more than double the capacity of other freighters operating for the national postal service,” he said.
Qantas currently has a fleet of 28 A330s, 18 of which are the -200 variant and 10 are the -300 model.
The aircraft will be converted by EFW, a joint venture between Airbus and ST Engineering.
Conversion work will include removing seats, replacing the existing cabin door with a larger door and the installation of a cargo handling system.
The first A330 aircraft, which will be utilised by Australia Post, will start its conversion in August 2022 and is expected to start operating in mid-2023 with the second to start operating in late 2023.
Australia Post’s chief executive, Paul Graham, said e-commerce has grown by more than 76 per cent when compared to just two years ago.
“Last December we delivered a record 52 million parcels and uplifted over 7.4 million kilos of air freight, and we fully expect to eclipse these volumes this year,” said Graham.
Qantas also announced it will receive its third, smaller converted Airbus A321P2F freighter this week, which will also operate for Australia Post.
Last year the airline became the first in the world to begin flying the converted narrowbody aircraft.
In 2019, Australian Aviation reported how Qantas and Australia Post agreed an expanded seven-year contract covering both domestic and international air freight worth $1 billion, with the A321 a part of the deal.
Figures from Airbus showed the A321P2F could carry up to 27.9 tonnes of cargo in a two-deck layout comprising up to 14 containers on the main deck and up to 10 containers on the lower deck. The aircraft had a range of 2,300 nautical miles.
Qantas said the A321P2F would be able to carry nine more tonnes of freight compared with its existing 737 freighters, which represented about 50 per cent more capacity.
Rod Pickin
says:A top decision but with respect, aint it a bit late? For almost 2 years we have seen foreign carriers galore plying their A/C with cargo trading about the world whilst QF A/C have been parked and crews ignored plus, about another 2 years before we can commence play. AJ, I think we dropped the ball on this one.
Himeno
says:Many of the QF A330s have been operating international flights throughout the pandemic as freighters. For example, they’ve had weekly cargo flights from Sydney and Brisbane to Narita for most of the border closure.