Egyptair Cargo targets growth with new freighters

Egyptair Cargo has revealed plans to expand its freighter fleet as it targets the launch of new intercontinental services.

The airline told Air Cargo News that it will take delivery of three Airbus A330-200 passenger-to-freighter conversations before the end of March 2019.

The first of the freighters is due to join Egyptair Cargo’s fleet in June, with the second due in October and the third in March 2019.

There are also plans to take delivery of two Boeing 737-800 freighters, although these are part of future plans and not likely to arrive until 2020.

The new 58 ton capacity Airbus freighters will operate services to the US and east Asia, with airports likely to include New York JFK, Guangzhou and Hong Kong via its central hubs Cologne-Bonn, Ostend East and other locations in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the 20-22 ton capacity Boeing freighters will be used on intra-African routes serving the local market.

The airline also plans to add 15,000 sq m of ground handling warehousing to existing facilities at its Cairo base.

The airline hopes that the new aircraft and expansion of warehousing facilities will help boost cargo volumes by around 30%.

Meanwhile, the airline also revealed figures pointing to cargo growth on its Cologne services last year.

Total volumes transported by Egyptair Cargo through the German airport increased by 36% last year to 13,171 tonnes.

The improvements have continued this, with volumes increasing by 33% year-on-year in January and February combined.

Egyptair's freighter fleet currently stands at four A300F aircraft. In 2012, it signed up to be the launch customer for EFW's A330-200P2F programme in 2012, with delivery of the first aircraft originally slated for the end of last year.

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