Cargo market on fire: ATSG buys 29 A330-300P2Fs

Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) placed a firm order for Airbus A330P2F units with Elbe Flugzeugwerke. EFW is a joint venture between ST Engineering and Airbus dedicated to retrofitting the European manufacturer’s aircraft for cargo transport.

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ATSG is the world’s largest lessor of freighter aircraft, as well as the largest owner and operator of Boeing 767BCF. Through its main subsidiaries, including Omni Air International and Air Transport International, ATSG offers aircraft leasing, cargo, and passenger charter services.

The order in question is for a total of 29 A330-300P2F aircraft, the largest version of Airbus’ twin-engine aircraft. The conversion work will begin in mid-2023 and run until 2027 and will be carried out at EFW’s Dresden facility and at ST Engineering’s conversion centers in China. Several units will be converted simultaneously.

See also: SmartLynx orders six more A321P2Fs from ST Engineering

Mike Berger, CCO of ATSG, noted that «the A330-300P2F is a natural fit for ATSG’s fleet, as it is an excellent companion to our Boeing 767-300. Further, speaking about the Airbus aircraft’s excellence in transporting e-commerce cargo, he said, «The impressive cargo capacity makes the A330 a very attractive option for this role. We already have almost half of these 29 units in place».

The A330P2F program has two variants: one is the A330-200P2F and the other the A330-300P2F. A gross payload of up to 61 tonnes at over 7,700km can be carried by the A330-200P2F.

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The A330-300P2F offers a payload of 63 tonnes and up to 526 cubic meters of capacity. This represents around 23% more volume than other aircraft in the same class. This makes it ideal for transporting e-commerce products, a category that is mainly composed of low-density parcels.