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Retirement of 747-400 & MD-11 Freighters accelerates

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  • Retirement of 747-400 & MD-11 Freighters accelerates

    Of the 241 B747-400 freighters, 22%, are now parked, up from 12% eight months ago. The percentage varies considerably depending on variant:13% of available 747-400ERFs are parked (down slightly from 15%), as are 13% of 747-400Fs (up from 8%), 53% of 747- 400BCFs (up from 35%), and 17% of 747-400BDSFs (up from 10%).
    During the last eight months, five previously parked 747 freighters were returned to service, but this was more than balanced by twenty-two retirements, for a net decrease of seventeen units.
    There was less change in the MD-11F fleet, which saw eleven retirements and no previously parked freighters returned to service. The total operating MD-11F fleet now stands at 147 units, with the percentage of available units in storage at 15%.
    As mentioned above, a handful of the previously announced retirements were actually carried out over the last 8 months but there were many new retirements either announced or strongly hinted at. The current tally is as follows:
    • Taiwan-based EVA Air said it would replace its entire fourteen-unit freighter fleet (three 747-400Fs, six 747-400BDSFs, and five MD-11Fs) with an unspecified number of 777Fs. It has since retired two of the MD-11Fs.
    • Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) confirmed that as part of its Phoenix Rising Plan, it would switch to an all-747-8F fleet, and move its seven remaining 747-400Fs “outside of NCA operation.” The official plan is to sell or lease them to other operators, but there are unlikely to be any takers.
    • Air France-KLM announced that the three 747-400ERFs operated by Air France, and one 747-400ERF, one 747-400BCF, and one MD-11F operated by subsidiary carrier Martinair would be retired soon. Since
    then, it has retired just one 747-400ERF.
    • As part of Air China Cargo’s 777F order, Boeing agreed to accept return of the carrier’s remaining four 747-400BCF. Two have so far been returned, but the carrier now also seems likely to retire its three 747-400Fs.
    • Lufthansa Cargo indicated it would retire the oldest two of its eighteen MD-11Fs as 777Fs entered its fleet. Those two are now retired, but a new fleet review is underway, and it is possible that more
    retirements will take place.
    • Cathay Pacific which previously retired its six 747-400BCFs, is now in the process of retiring all of its six -400Fs. Four are already gone, and we expect the remaining two to go soon.
    • Korean Air recently indicated that as it took delivery of 747-8Fs and 777Fs it would retire a matching number of 747-400Fs. We expect two more to be retired.
    • At AirBridgeCargo’s recent tenth anniversary celebration, CEO Denis Ilin said the carrier was in negotiations with Boeing regarding a transition to an all 747-8F fleet. He didn’t say when this transition might take place, but the writing seems to be on the wall for ABC’s four 747-400ERFs and three -400Fs.
    • And finally, Centurion Cargo informed Cargo Facts that it, and sister carrier SkyLease Cargo, would retire all eight of their remaining MD-11Fs, and replace them with an undisclosed number of 747-400 freighters.
    Source: Cargo Facts
    “The only time you have too much fuel is when you’re on fire.”

    Erwin


  • #2
    It will be a boon for buyers when the market picks up.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by LUNN View Post
      It will be a boon for buyers when the market picks up.
      ... if the market picks up. In time, airlines will be replacing their 767s, 757s and even some older 777s also, and those too will flood the market. I wonder if a MD-11F is going to look attractive to a buyer when a 767F is easily available.
      Whatever is necessary, is never unwise.

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