Qantas Freight has announced that from late July it will upgrade its freighter fleet with the lease of two Boeing 747-8F aircraft to replace existing B747-400Fs.
The airline said the -8Fs, which will be operated by Atlas Air, will offer greater capacity and improved efficiency for its global freight customers. They will fly with an Atlas Air livery.
“Widely regarded as one of the most efficient freighter aircraft in service, the 747-8F features a longer fuselage than the Boeing 747-400F, offering up to 20% more freight capacity with space for seven extra pallets,” the airline said.
The aircraft will carry cargo on Qantas Freight’s existing network between 10 key cargo hubs in Australia, China and the US.
Chief executive of Qantas domestic & freight, Andrew David, said the new aircraft would allow Qantas’ freight business to better meet customer demand for freight capacity around the world.
“We are seeing strong growth in demand driven by e-commerce, fresh produce, electronics and mining equipment across our international freight network,” said David.
“The newer, more efficient Boeing 747-8F will allow us to provide a better service for our customers with additional freight capacity and even greater reliability for time-sensitive shipments.”
Qantas Freight has operated freighter services between Australia, China and the US for the past 15 years…
