Kenya Airways eyeing B777Fs, E2s - report

Kenya Airways (KQ, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) is considering adding two or more B777-200Fs to supplement its cargo fleet, while also talking to Boeing about potentially adding more B737s and Embraer about the E2.

Acting group managing director and CEO George Kamal told Air Transport World that the number and specific variant of the B777 freighter would depend on "what we find in the market," indicating they would be pre-owned or leased aircraft.

In May, Kamal already told ch-aviation that Kenya Airways Cargo would swap a B747-400(BCF) capacity agreement with Terra Avia (T8, Chisinau International) for B767 and B777 capacity to maintain 180 to 200 tons per day capacity.

As previously reported, the airline will not proceed with acquiring B767 freighters, despite earlier consideration, as introducing a new aircraft type would significantly increase costs for training, tools, and maintenance.

Kenya Airways' in-house narrowbody cargo fleet includes two company-owned B737-300(SF)s and two leased B737-800(SF)s.

E2 being considered

Of a fleet of eleven E190s, Kenya Airways has sold four, while two remain in maintenance and five are in active service, according to ch-aviation and ADS-B data.

The airline has long planned to phase out its E190s to address payload and baggage limits on regional routes from Nairobi with its hot-and-high conditions. The aim has always also been to simplify the fleet.

Kamal told ATW that the E2 may be considered as a replacement for the E190. The E2 "looks good. We are not saying that we will acquire them, but we are looking into it positively. Kenya Airways is the only African country with an Embraer [maintenance] centre."

In other fleet developments, as reported previously, Kenya Airways plans to return a B777-300ER leased to Turkish Airlines to its own network on July 17 for deployment on the Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta-London Heathrow route.

Two leased B737-800NGs are due in 2026, with ATW reporting that one will be leased from Aerolíneas Argentinas in November 2026.

Plans to lease six B737-8s have been delayed to 2027 due to part and engine shortages and liquidity constraints.

In total, the current fleet includes nine B737-800s, nine B787-8s (of which three remain AOG due to engine supply chain delays), eleven E190s, and the four B737 freighters, according to ADS-B data.

CH Aviation - Image: Flyingphotos AI

Airbus June 2026 orders & deliveries

Compared to last month, June 2026 was a bit of slower month for new orders for Airbus. In total it received 71 new orders and twelve cancellations. The number of delivered aircraft was 89.

Ordered were:
1 A330-900 by Air Algerie
1 A330-800 by Airbus Defence & Space
1 ACJ320neo by a Private customer
18 A330-900s by SAS
2 A320neos by Scoot
4 A321neos by Scoot
18 A320neos by Undisclosed customers
26 A321neos by Undisclosed customers

Delivered were:
1 A321neo to Aegean Airlines
3 A320neos to Air Arabia
1 A321neo to AirAsia
1 A220-300 to airBaltic
2 A220-300s to Air Canada
1 A321neo to Air China
1 A220-300 to Air France
1 A350-900 to Air France
1 A320neo to ANA Holdings
1 A320neo to Avianca
1 A320neo to Azerbaijan Airlines
1 A321neo to Azerbaijan Airlines
2 A220-300s to Breeze Airways
2 A320neos to Chengdu Airlines
1 A321neo to China Airlines
3 A320neos to China Eastern Airlines
4 A321neos to China Eastern Airlines
2 A321neos to China Southern Airlines
2 A320neos to Colorful Guizhou Airlines
1 A220-300 to Croatia Airlines
2 A220-300s to Delta Air Lines
1 A321neo to Delta Air Lines
1 A320neo to easyJet
4 A321neos to easyJet
1 A350-900 to Egyptair
3 A350-900s to Emirates
1 A320neo to flyadeal
1 A321neo to Gulf Air
1 A320neo to Hainan Airlines
4 A321neos to IndiGo
2 A321neos to Jet2.com
1 A320neo to Jetsmart
1 A321neo to Jetsmart
2 A320neos to LATAM Airlines
1 A320neo to Lufthansa
1 A321neo to Pegasus Airlines
1 A321neo to Qantas Airways
1 A350-1000 to Qatar Airways
2 A321neos to Saudia
1 A320neo to Scoot
4 A320neos to Spring Airlines
1 A320neo to TAP Air Portugal
1 A321neo to Thai Airways
1 A321neo to Transavia
3 A320neos to Transavia France
1 A320neo to Turkish Airlines
1 A350-900 to Turkish Airlines
2 A321neos to United Airlines
3 A321neos to VietJetAir
1 A320neo to Volaris
1 A320neo to West Air
4 A321neos to Wizz Air
2 A320neos to Xiamen Airlines

Airbus has now received a total of 886 orders and 65 cancellations, leaving a net of 821 for 2026. The number of delivered aircraft stands at 351.

Photo: Alain Charpentier

FLEET - PNG Air phases out DHC-8-100 fleet

PNG Air has discontinued Dash 8 operations, with the last two DHC-8-100s completing their final commercial flights at the end of June. The retirement of these aircraft means the airline will now operate exclusively with ATR aircraft.
A third Dash 8 configured for cargo, P2-MCG (MSN 006), remains in Port Moresby. CEO Brian Fraser stated that all three aircraft have been sold and will continue to fly with other airlines.
PNG's current fleet consists of ten ATR72-600s and three ATR42-600s.

Photo: PNG

China Southern Air Cargo to add three B777-300(ERSF)s

China Southern Cargo has signed a lease-agreement with AerCap for IAI-converted Boeing B777-300ERSFs. In total, the airline has signed-up for three aircraft. One will be delivered in October 2027, while the remaining two will join in 2028.

Image: Flyingphotos AI

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FLEET - Saudia orders additional B777Fs

Saudia announced it has signed a contract with Boeing for additional B777Fs. In total, the airline has ordered four more aircraft which are scheduled to be delivered before the end of the year.

The four Triple Sevens joins Saudia Cargo's fleet of four B777Fs, two Airbus A330-300P2Fs (leased from ASL Airlines Ireland), and four B747-400Fs (leased from Air Atlanta Europe).

Image: Saudia.

FLEET - A Cargo Makeover: Introducing Emirates SkyCargo’s Boeing 777-300 ER Special Freighter

Dubai, UAE, 06 July 2026: A6-EBK is one of the latest aircraft to join Emirates SkyCargo’s growing fleet of dedicated freighters facilitating global trade and supporting businesses across the world transport goods to international customers. With increasing demand for air cargo capacity underlined by the rise in cross-border flow of goods such as e-commerce, the aircraft has already entered commercial service moving goods across multiple geographies through and to Dubai.

However, unlike other dedicated freighters in Emirates SkyCargo’s fleet, A6-EBK, a Boeing 777-300ERSF, is not a factory produced freighter. Instead, it is a special freighter (SF) that has been converted from a Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft from Emirates’ fleet.

Transforming a passenger configured 777-300ER into a cargo only aircraft was not simply a matter of removing seats and adding cargo doors. It was a complex process spanning several months that redesigned the aircraft’s structure, systems and operating philosophy to meet the demands of cargo transport. While maintaining the aircraft’s original aerodynamic performance and structural integrity without compromising operational safety, the conversion introduced extensive modifications to the fuselage, floor structure, loading systems, avionics, environmental controls and other systems within the aircraft.

Fuselage Modifications

As a first step, the aircraft’s interiors including seats, overhead stowage, galleys and lavatories were completely removed.  This allowed the team to modify the interior of the aircraft to accommodate cargo pallets.

A key characteristic of a freighter aircraft is its ability to carry large cargo pallets and this required the installation of a large maindeck cargo door. One of the most visible changes in the entire conversion process, creating the opening for this door required significant structural reinforcement and replacement of large sections of the fuselage structure.

Next, a rigid barrier with the ability to absorb any impact up to nine times the force of gravity (9G) was fitted at the front of the main deck, consistent with regulatory and safety configurations in a production freighter.

Freighters often carry a limited number of support staff in addition to the crew on long haul missions, such as grooms accompanying thoroughbred racehorses. To support the crew and additional members, a crew rest area and supplementary seating were installed during the conversion.

The flight deck was also modified to accommodate additional controls for environmental and safety systems optimised for the transportation of cargo.

Flooring and Cargo Management

In order to support heavier cargo pallets in the maindeck of the aircraft as compared to passengers, the floor structure used for passenger transport was completely removed and replaced with reinforced floor beams and a higher-capacity floor structure capable of supporting concentrated loads from heavy pallets and cargo handling equipment.

The conversion process included installation of a complete cargo loading system consisting of powered rollers, locks and guides was installed permitting ground crews to move large cargo units efficiently through the aircraft and secure them for flight. Additionally, an advanced cargo monitoring system including smoke detection and fire suppression was installed.

Aircraft Systems

Emirates SkyCargo offers a specialised suite of products to transport time and temperature sensitive cargo including life-saving medications and bio-innovations. This needs temperatures inside the aircraft to be maintained a specified ranges, sometimes as low as 5 degrees Centigrade. During the conversion, the environmental control system of the passenger aircraft was adapted to monitor and control airflow, ventilation, and temperature to support sensitive shipments such as pharmaceuticals and perishables. Other electrical systems were also modified to support the transportation of cargo.

Safety Certification & Final Preparations

Last but not the least, the conversion needed to achieve regulatory approval to show that the process met strict requirements around compliance with safety standards covering structural strength, systems reliability, fire protection and flight performance. This was demonstrated through extensive documentation, ground tests and flight evaluations before the aircraft could start transporting cargo.

Finally, the aircraft also received a full repaint and application of the latest Emirates SkyCargo livery ahead of its first commercial flight for Emirates SkyCargo.

Emirates SkyCargo is a global facilitator of trade transporting cargo across more than 150 destinations across six continents. The air cargo carrier has been steadily expanding its fleet in 2026 with six Boeing 777-F production freighters already delivered since March 2026 in addition to the converted freighter. The carrier is slated to receive a further four Boeing 777-F production freighters and one additional converted freighter later this year. This expansion of capacity is allowing Emirates SkyCargo to provide further customer choice and flexibility as well as support critical global supply chains and trade lanes.

 

LATAM Airlines Group (Chile) plans to add more than 40 aircraft in 2026, including 28 in the 2H, which includes the first E190-E2.

Photo: Flyingphotos

Along with A320neo, A321neo and B787-9.

FLEET - Sabar Airlines (Kenya) took delivery of a CRJ200, serial 7006, on lease from African Express Airways (Kenya).

Photo: Sabar
 

ROUTES - Global Airlines refocuses A380 hopes on Maldives

Global Airlines (London City) has revised its launch plans and will now aim to serve Maldives when it resumes operations. Chief executive James Asquith said the carrier aims to return to service "certainly this year", or before Christmas 2026, after its sole A380-800, 9H-GLOBL (msn 120), completes a heavy maintenance check. The aircraft, operated for Global by Hi Fly Malta, was parked at Dresden after the last of its grand total of four passenger flight in May 2025, before being ferried to Lourdes/Tarbes two months later. Asquith attributed the delay to MRO capacity constraints.

The start-up also plans to acquire another A380-800 to expand transatlantic operations. Global Airlines does not hold an air operator's certificate.

CH Aviation / Photo: Flyingphotos - Beja

 

Heston Airlines plans up to 30 narrowbodies

 

Heston Airlines (HN, Vilnius) plans to expand its fleet to up to 30 narrowbody aircraft by 2031, the chief executive officer of the Lithuanian ACMI specialist, Jonas Rinkauskas, shared in a statement on the airline's fifth anniversary.

According to ch-aviation data, it currently operates ten A320-200s, which are deployed on wet lease contracts for customers including AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines and Condor. Heston is wet leasing in one additional A320-200 from Valletta Airlines.

Heston Airlines said the additional aircraft will be deployed across different regions throughout the year to reduce its reliance on seasonal markets. Chief executive Jonas Rinkauskas said the next stage of growth will focus on "global diversification."

The fleet target is not entirely new. In 2023, maintenance provider J&C Aero said the carrier planned to expand its Airbus fleet to 30 aircraft, including widebodies, "over three years" as part of a continuous airworthiness management agreement.

While the carrier specialises in ACMI services, it also offers weekly scheduled flights from Tallinn Lennart Meri to Irakleion.

CH Aviation / Photos Heston

US-Bangla Airlines wet leases an A320-200

US-Bangla Airlines (BS, Dhaka) has begun wet leasing an A320-200 from BBN Airlines Thailand (TZ, Bangkok Don Mueang), the start-up ACMI specialist announced in a social media post. According to ADS-B data, HS-SXA (msn 5089) began operating under the "UBG" callsign on June 24, 2026.

The aircraft was repositioned from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Dhaka on June 23. Since entering service with US-Bangla Airlines, HS-SXA has operated flights from Dhaka to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Malé, Singapore Changi, and Sharjah.

Before its current engagement, the 14.3-year-old Airbus narrowbody operated for Thai VietJetAir from December 2025, when BBN Airlines Thailand launched commercial operations, until April 2026.

US-Bangla Airlines also continues to wet lease a B737-800 from BBN Airlines Indonesia (0B, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta), a sister company of BBN Airlines Thailand under Avia Solutions Group. In addition, the carrier wet leases an ATR72-500 from NovoAir and a B737-200(F) from SkyAir, while wet leasing out one of its ATR72-600s to Air Astra, according to ch-aviation data.

The airline's in-house fleet comprises 17 aircraft: three A330-300s, ten ATR72-600s, and four B737

CH Aviation / Photo: Flyingphotos AI

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FLEET / ROUTES - Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aéreas received its first A330-300 aircraft ahead of the start of nonstop service between Galeão International Airport (GIG) in Rio de Janeiro and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.

The Airbus A330 has arrived in Rio de Janeiro and will operate the airline's inaugural service, with three weekly flights between GIG and JFK, starting July 8th. The leased A330-300 from Wamos will fly until the arrival of Gol's own A330-900s later this year.

Photo: Gol
 

FLEET / ROUTES - AirBorneo (Malaysia) will wet lease two B737-800 aircraft from Batik Air Malaysia for 18 months

 Plans for the airline's expansion into jet operations progressed in 2026, with services expected to commence in the third quarter of the year using three Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The initial network was planned to include routes from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Kota Kinabalu and Jakarta.

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FLEET / ROUTES - AnimaWings took delivery of its eighth Airbus aircraft, a leased A220-300 with serial 55443, and announced the launch of five new scheduled routes from Bucharest, Timișoara, and Cluj-Napoca.

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FLEET - Philippine Airlines is expected to firm agreements for about 10 B787s and 10 A350s, with the deals expected to be announced at Farnborough.

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ROUTES - C909 starts to operate in second high plateau route

With the smooth landing of C909 themed aircraft "Swan" of Chengdu Airlines at Hejing Bayinbuluke Airport with an elevation of 2,506.85 meters on June 23rd, 2026, the Urumqi=Hejing=Kashgar route was officially opened. This is the second high plateau route operated by C909 aircraft after the Kashgar=Taxkorgan route, marking another verification of the adaptability of China-made commercial aircraft in complex operating environments and injecting strong aerial momentum into the peak tourist season of the Bayanbulak grassland in Xinjiang.

On the same day, Hejing Bayinbuluke Airport held an opening ceremony, welcoming the C909 aircraft with the highest civil aviation honor, a water salute. The airport has ushered in a civil aviation scheduled passenger transport route for the first time since its opening in August 2024. From the early temporary take-offs and landings of the King Air 350 aircraft to the current scheduled flights operated by C909 aircraft, aircraft model iteration and route densification have driven the high plateau airport of Hejing Bayinbuluke to achieve a leapfrog development from "being built" and "being put into operation" to "flying well". 

 

Bayanbulak is a national-level eco-tourism area, featuring world-class natural landscapes such as the "Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns". Previously, people traveling to Bayanbulak from Urumqi or Kashgar mainly depend on long-distance regular passenger coaches, trains or self-driving, or transfer at Korla Airport, which is time-consuming. After the Urumqi=Hejing=Kashgar route was opened, the traveling time by air from the two places to Bayanbulak has been shortened to about one hour, which significantly enhances the convenience of travel. 

Hejing Bayinbuluke Airport is the second high plateau airport in Xinjiang (civil aviation standard: elevation ≥ 2,438 meters). It has a unique geographical environment and complex meteorological conditions, and is directly confronted with multiple challenges such as high elevation, barometric depression and air blast. The opening of this route not only fills the gap of civil aviation routes at the airport, but also becomes a key fulcrum for the development of tourism resources in Hejing County. This route significantly shortens the temporal and spatial distance with the outside world, improves the "three-dimensional transportation" system of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, accelerates the deep integration of transportation and cultural tourism industry, and has profound significance for promoting the upgrading of the tourism industry, promoting rural revitalization, and enhancing national unity. 

 

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