FLEET - AIR CHINA CARGO / A330-200F / B-6092

Ton Jochems

 

FLEET - First A330-243F for the ASL Airlines Ireland / EI-LKC / MSN 1688 - ex CMA CGM Air Cargo

Photo: Christian Tondo
 

AIRLINE - Hungary Airlines CEO is Duan Bo signs a cooperation agreement with Boeing to acquire 100 B737 MAX aircraft, The planned airline aims to open new routes between China and Central Eastern Europe, with Budapest as their European hub.

The new Hungarian airline company Hungary Airlines is set to launch its first cargo flight this month, December 2024, according to the Hungarian business news site Világgazdaság. The new company’s maiden flight will be from Budapest, Hungary to Hong Kong, China.

Hungary Airlines was founded in May 2021, originally under the name Universal Translink Airline Hungary Kft. It has only recently changed its name to Hungary Airlines. Their headquarters is registered in Vecsés, Hungary, in the cargo centre of the Ferenc Liszt Budapest International Airport.

Earlier this month, the new company signed a deal with the American aircraft manufacturer Boening to acquire a hundred Boeing 737 MAX aeroplanes, the local aviation industry site BUDflyer reports.

Initially, the new airline will be servicing cargo flights. It is unclear if it is planning on branching out to passenger flights as well at some point. There is speculation about that, given that even Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó of Hungary has talked about the need to increase direct passenger flights between major Chinese cities and Budapest, given the increase in the number of tourists coming to Hungary from the Asian country in recent years. Currently, 21 flights leave from Hungary to China per week.

Budapest Airlines’ focus will be direct flights between China and Central Europe. The company is headed by a Chinese national, Chairman Duan Bo and is majority-owned by fellow Chinese businessman Wu Jiang. However, two Hungarian nationals, Gábor Talabos and Gábor Varga were also present when signing the acquisition deal with Boening. Both men are listed as ‘company leaders’ for Hungary Airlines Kft in the Hungarian national company database Nemzeti Cégtár. Talabos is one of the prominent aviation experts in the country.

Hungarian conservative.

Photo: Duncan Stewart

SPECIAL COLORS - In honor of the flowers of Latin America, Avianca Cargo celebrates with an exclusive flower design on one of its planes (A330-200F / N330QT) as a symbol of its commitment to continue supporting the flower industry.

Photos: Avianca Cargo
 

HYBRID LIVERY - Airhub Airlines / A330-200 / 9H-PAX A330-200

Ton Jochems - AMS
 

NEW AIRLINE - Awesome Cargo: start-up from Mexico

Awesome Cargo was presented to the world during a presentation. Most notable during this event was the presence of the airline's first aircraft, Airbus A330-200 EI-EJI (1218). The former Alitalia Airbus was delivered (with a stop at Halifax) to Mexico City from Naples on 7 February 2023.

The airline is planning to launch flights from Mexico City-Felipe Ángeles and will be the first cargo airline to call this airport its home. This is in line with the government's plan to move all cargo flights from Mexico City to this former air base.

Awesome Cargo is planning to offer ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintance and Insurance)-flights, as well as it's own marketed cargo flights to destinations within Latin America as well as Asia-Pacific. The Airbus is outfitted as a "phreighter", which means it will carry cargo in the main passenger cabin. It's unclear if the airline has plans to have the aircraft properly converted later on.
Later this year, the company is planning to add a second Airbus A330-200 phreighter to the fleet.
Photo via Twitter.
SCRAMBLE

 

CMA CGM prioritises third-party ACMI over own ops

OO-AIR A330-200F Air Belgium
Ton Jochems - BRU

CMA CGM Air Cargo (2C, Paris CDG) has abruptly suspended all of its planned in-house air cargo services to the United States as it focuses on leasing its aircraft to other operators, Freightwaves has reported.

"To adjust to our clients' needs, we have made the decision to temporarily suspend our connections with Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson and Chicago O'Hare. Our customers have been kept well-informed throughout this process," the French shipping firm said without stating a reason.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows CMA CGM Air Cargo, a recently certified subsidiary of shipping giant CMA CGM, operates two in-house A330-200Fs and two B777-200Fs. One aircraft of each type is currently wet-leased to Qatar Airways, while the other two units fly CMA CGM Air Cargo's own routes out of Paris CDG - the A330 to Cairo Int'l and the B777 to Hong Kong Int'l, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. CMA CGM also owns two more A330-200Fs leased on a CMI basis to Air Belgium, both of which currently operate on behalf of DHL Express's EAT Leipzig unit, connecting Brussels National with each of Cincinnati Int'l and Miami Int'l.

Ch Aviation

GlobalX to operate A330 freighters

 

The airline has plans for both Airbus narrowbody and widebody freighters


Florida-based Global Crossing Airlines (GlobalX) will expand its Airbus freighter fleet and enter the medium-widebody market by adding A330Fs.

Air Incheon (South Korea) to add an A330F in 2023.

 

HUNGARY AIR CARGO - A330-200F - HA-LHU

 Ton jochems - AMS

ZFG Air eyes cargo flights from Newcastle

 

ZFG Air plans to establish an air cargo hub at Newcastle, GB airport in the north of England, initially using a chartered A330-200 in a makeshift freighter configuration but with plans to add three in-house A330-200 freighters going forward.

During a press event at the airport, ZFG Air said its operations would begin this month with Dubai Int'land Hong Kong Int'l identified as its first destinations. It said it would operate 2x weekly, although it is not clear if both destinations will be served through the same itinerary or as two separate sectors. In future, the start-up plans to add routes to the United States and the European Union.

ZFG Air is headed and owned by John Quinney and was incorporated in December 2020.

The start-up did not respond to ch-aviation's request for more information regarding its launch timeline and fleet plans.

ZFG Air will become the first all-cargo airline based out of Newcastle. According to the ch-aviation schedules, no cargo carrier currently serves the northern English city on a scheduled basis.

ch aviation

AIR BELGIUM - A330-200F - OO-CMA

CMA CGM Air Cargo will shortly take delivery of their first of four ex Qatar Airways Cargo A330's, operating for Air Belgium, The first was painted at the IAC facility at Dublin.

Paul Quinn

 

Air Belgium - Airbus A330-243F - MSN 1688 - OO-CMA

Steven Picalausa
 

The Air Belgium fleet will soon expand with the arrival of cargo aircraft

Several months ago, already, the airline Air Belgium had announced its desire to diversify into cargo.
the company announces that it will soon introduce 4 cargo aircraft with an ambition of 6 units by the end of 2021.

The first two aircraft should be operational as of March 2021. The first aircraft will be based at Liege Airport.

At the same time, the airline will of course continue its passenger flights to the French West Indies.

"In such an uncertain period, this is good news for the airline. We are delighted to be able to begin this diversification into the commercial and cargo sector, which my team and I know well. This will complement our existing passenger business which has been severely impacted by the current travel restrictions. This demonstrates once again the resilience and flexibility of our airline's development potential. As well as the ever-growing attractiveness of Liege Airport." - CEO of Air Belgium, Niky Terzakis.

Air Belgium

Turkmenistan Airlines to order two A330 P2F freighters

Turkmenistan Airlines (T5, Ashgabat) is set to order two P2F-converted A330-200s from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) after President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow signed the requisite decree.

A government resolution dated January 7 said management could now proceed with the signing of a final agreement. It added that the freighters would be used to help meet cargo capacity demand specified under the 2012-2030 national civil aviation roadmap. No delivery dates were specified.

In June last year, the Central Asian republic's government said it planned to acquire one B777-F from Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) through Aircraft Finance Germany GmbH. It is unknown if the contract was ever firmed.

At present, Turkmenistan Airlines' cargo fleet entails three Il-76TDs. Its passenger fleet is an all-Boeing affair entailing two B777-200(LR)s, three B737-700s, eight B737-800s, and four B757-200s. It also operates several other aircraft for the government.

ch aviation

AMSTERDAM AIRPORT - 16 / 17 APRIL 2020

Thank you so much Ton Jochems (continue) sharing your photos at this very difficult time for the whole world

 S5-ABO

TC-JOZ

 A6-BMA

 HZ-ARA

B-16722
Ton Jochems

DHL has taken a delivery of first A330-200F formerly operated by Etihad

DHL Subsidiary, EAT Leipzig, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-200F (D-ALMA), an ex-Etihad Crystal Cargo Aircraft (formerly A6-DCA).

The Arab carrier has effectively phased out all the A330Fs from its cargo fleet, transitioning to an all-Boeing 777F operation. Etihad withdrew these young A330s at the beginning of the year as part of a major fleet reorganization plan that aims to cut costs and streamline its cargo operation through a single-type fleet system. The planes have been in storage since January.
As the Abu Dhabi-based carrier continues to reorganize its business, the largest cuts have been on both its route network and fleet. Other than the Airbus A330Fs, the carrier also phased out its five Boeing 777-200(ER) fleet. Etihad’s freighter fleet remains with five Boeing 777Fs, all of which are deployed on cargo flights from Abu Dhabi to India, the Far East, China, Sub-Saharan Africa, North/South America, and Europe.

Photo:Thomas Schmidt-Blindenhöfer
A330-243F - D-ALMA (cn 1524)

Hannover Langenhagen (HAJ / EDDV), Germany

Etihad confirms A330 freighter fleet disposal

Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l) has confirmed it is in the process of selling off its fleet of five A330-200(F)s. The widebody freighters were withdrawn from service effective January 1 and have been placed into storage in Abu Dhabi Int'l and Teruel ever since.
A company spokesman has since confirmed to ch-aviation that the five aircraft "are in advanced stages of being sold to a new owner.” No further details concerning potential buyers were mentioned.

Etihad's freighter fleet currently consists of five B777-Fs all of which are used on flights connecting Abu Dhabi with India and the Subcontinent, the Far East, China, Sub-Saharan Africa, North and South America, and Europe.
Etihad is currently in the process of restructuring its operations and that has included the trimming of both its route network as well as fleet. Aside from the sale of the A330 freighters, Etihad has also retired its five B777-200(LR)s from service.

Ch aviation

Royal Jordanian adds maiden A330 freighter

Royal Jordanian (RJ, Amman Queen Alia) has taken delivery of its maiden A330-200(F) freighter with OE-IFJ (msn 1164) arriving in Amman Queen Alia from Singapore Changi on July 4, Skyliner Aviation has reported.
Formerly in service with Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur Int'l) as 9M-MUC, the aircraft joins Royal Jordanian's only other dedicated freighter, A310-300(F) JY-AGQ (msn 445), used on scheduled cargo services to North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

ETIHAD CARGO - A330-200F - F-WWCP

Alain Charpentier - TLS