FLEET - MSC Air Cargo wet-leases B747 freighters from Atlas Air

MSC Air Cargo (Geneva) has introduced two B747 freighters chartered from Atlas Air (5Y, New York JFK) on routes from Amsterdam Schiphol to Seoul Incheon and Tokyo Narita via Milan Malpensa, according to a February schedule published by the Swiss cargo specialist and virtual carrier.

The 12-year-old B747-8F N854GT (msn 37566) operates 2x weekly to Seoul, according to ADS-B data and the company's schedule. Flights to Japan operate weekly with Atlas Air's B747-400FSCD N45OPA (msn 30808).

MSC Air Cargo already charters four B777-200Fs from Atlas Air, which are deployed weekly between Budapest and Ezhou in China; weekly between Liège and Ezhou; 2x weekly between Liege and Karaganda in Kazakhstan; and weekly between Maastricht and Hong Kong International.

ADS-B data shows that the aircraft in question are N707GT (msn 67992), N708GT (msn 67993), N709GT (msn 67994), and N710GT (msn 67995).

Atlas Air's fleet includes sixty-two B747 freighters of various variants and eight B777-200Fs, as well as thirteen B767 freighters and seven B737-800(BCF)s, according to the ch-aviation fleets module.

CH Aviation

 

ROUTES - MSC Air Cargo (Switzerland) to connect Quito to Liege twice per week in November 2023, in addition to Zaragoza to Mexico City on a weekly basis — both with B777F.

Photo: MSC AIR CARGO
 

MSC Air Cargo to launch in late 4Q22

 

Atlas Air (5Y, New York JFK) has taken delivery of the first of four B777-200Fs that it aims to operate on behalf of MSC Air Cargo, with plans to begin these commercial operations in early December 2022.

The Swiss-based shipping giant has not yet confirmed the exact date of the first flight. Its initial schedule covers the following routes:



• México City Int'l-Indianapolis Int'l (3x weekly),

• Indianapolis-Frankfurt Hahn (4x weekly),

• Frankfurt Hahn-México City (2x weekly),

• Frankfurt Hahn-Hong Kong Int'l (weekly),

• Hong Kong-Anchorage Ted Stevens (weekly),

• Anchorage-México City (weekly), and

• Frankfurt Hahn-Indianapolis (weekly).

N707GT (msn 67992) was delivered from Everett to Cincinnati Int'l on November 21, 2022, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. The aircraft is already in MSC Air Cargo livery but remains parked, awaiting entry into service. It will be operated on behalf of the Swiss-based shipping giant under a long-term charter agreement. It joins the existing fleet of nine B777-200Fs operated by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, including one placed with Atlas Air and eight with sister carrier Polar Air Cargo.

ch aviation

The other three B777-200Fs for MSC Air Cargo's operations are scheduled to deliver in 2023.