Several weeks ago, I wrote about ANA planning to introduce two freighters with roughly twice the capacity of its current Boeing 767-300F aircraft. Now, it has become clear what the aircraft type will be and when the two planes will be delivered.
ANA Cargo to Receive Two Boeing 777F in 2019
At the time I wrote the first article, the freighter could – theoretically – be either the 747-8F (double the maximum cargo volume) or the 777F (double the maximum cargo weight). And, while every aviation enthusiast was secretly hoping that it would be the 747, the 777F seemed more practical given the fact that ANA already operates a large fleet of passenger 777s.
With yesterday’s announcement by ANA it became clear that, indeed, the new freighter to join the fleet would be the 777F.
As for the delivery dates, in the initial article, I wrote about ANA wanting to acquire these aircraft by the end of fiscal year 2022 since the intention was included in the airline’s midterm plan. However, with the official press release, it became clear that the two aircraft will join the fleet soon – in 2019.
The two aircraft will complement ANA Cargo’s fleet of a dozen of Boeing 767-300Fs, and are expected to operate on routes within Asia and to North America where the capacity of the 767s is insufficient.
Flying Honu to Join ANA’s Fleet in 2019 As Well
The Boeing 777F will not be the only new aircraft type to join ANA’s fleet in 2019, as next year the airline also expects the delivery of its first A380. The aircraft (all three of them) will be wearing the Flying Honu special livery and will operate between Tokyo and Honolulu.
