Airbus shuts down its cargo airline operated by A300-600ST Beluga due to lack of demand
The purpose of Airbus Beluga Transport (AiBT) was to target a niche market for oversized cargo transportation, focusing on loads such as satellites, engines, and helicopters, particularly given the shortage of alternative options like the Antonov An-124
Airbus announced the closure of its cargo airline, Airbus Beluga Transport (AiBT), just over a year after its launch. The company cited insufficient demand from external customers for the oversized cargo transport services offered by its A300-600ST Beluga fleet. Operations ceased immediately following the announcement, made this week during an extraordinary meeting of the economic and social committee (CSE).
Airbus Beluga Transport was created in November 2023 after obtaining an air operator certificate in France with the aim of repurposing the A300-600ST fleet, retired from Airbus’ internal logistics operations after being replaced by the larger A330-700L BelugaXL models.
The purpose was to target a niche market for oversized cargo transportation, catering to loads such as satellites, engines, and helicopters, particularly given the shortage of alternative options like the Antonov An-124.
However, despite initial optimism, the initiative failed to attract enough external customers. Airbus confirmed that all flights operated by the A300-600ST fleet have been immediately suspended. According to the French newspaper Les Echos and as cited by Flightglobal, the company has not provided additional details about the reasons for the closure but stated that the process of dismantling operations has just begun, with no defined timeline for completion.
Employee support as a priority
Airbus stated that its priority will be to support the 60 employees directly involved in Airbus Beluga Transport during the closure process. Many of these employees, including pilots, had been transferred or specially trained for the airline’s operations.
Although the A300-600ST fleet was envisioned as a solution to extend its remaining service life, the lack of market demand has led to the premature conclusion of the project, marking the end of Airbus' experiment in the cargo airline sector.
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