When size matters, economically

Airbus is poised to deliver the first A330-200 freighter later this summer to UAE-based carrier Etihad Airways, and has 64 others on order for 10 customers. 

Airbus’s Marketing Manager for freighters, Jonathan Lesieur (pictured above), tells IFW the market downturn over the past two years has highlighted the importance of all-cargo aircraft being able to offer flexibility and good economics. 

“To underline its flexibility, the A330F is a mid-size category aircraft with a payload of around 70 tonnes, but at 4,000 nautical miles, its range is similar to that of the 100-tonne-plus capacity B747,” Lesieur explains. “It is also fuel-efficient at a time when [jet fuel] prices are relatively high. 

“What the downturn has brought home to many air cargo operators is that a one-size-freighter-fits-all-markets approach has its limitations. Filling big freighters to capacity is a major challenge and having to accept lower-yield cargo in order to fill the last few tonnes of space is a common occurrence. With its smaller payload, the A330F can be fully loaded with premium-rate cargo, so there is greater scope.” 

On the strategy of Air France to reduce its freighter fleet drastically and ship a considerable part of its traffic in bellyholds, Lesieur says: “Using bellyhold space is an important element in a combined carrier’s air cargo strategy, but there will always be a place for freighters, especially for the transport of outsize cargo. Too high a dependence on passenger networks to transport freight can be a drawback, given that there are a number of destinations which require much more capacity.” 

Airbus's 330-220F

Airbus is scheduled to deliver a further four A330Fs by the end of 2010, a second to Etihad, two to lessor Aircastle – which are bound to an affiliate of China’s Hainan Group, Hong Kong Airlines – and one to Turkish Airlines. 

With air cargo markets, particularly in Asia, showing signs of recovery, Lesieur is confident that the A330F will show its worth. “As the market upturn gathers momentum, one can well imagine the aircraft being an excellent fit for high-frequency flights carrying Asian-origin hi-tech equipment to Europe.” 

Lesieur declined to elaborate on the delivery schedule beyond the current year, but one customer to change its A330F strategy is lessor Guggenheim Aviation Partners, which had ordered six as a launch customer three years ago. In December 2008, it converted four A330 freighters into passenger versions and recently decided to do the same with the remaining two. 

Lesieur says Guggenheim had opportunities to order passenger aircraft rather than freighters. ”This is probably a result of delays in the delivery of B787 passenger aircraft, with the A330 being able to fill the gap,” he says. 

“Overall, our orderbook for the A330F has kept its shape, and even grown over the past eight to nine months. Turkish signed-up for the freighter in the latter half of 2009, MNG Cargo doubled its order to four, while MASkargo became a new customer at the start of 2010, ordering two. The outlook is very positive.”

By Stuart Todd