While the number of Boeing 747s, especially in passenger service, has declined rapidly in the last few years, the aircraft is still a valuable workhorse in many cargo airlines’ fleets. One of those is Taiwan’s China Airlines.
That said, as China Airlines continues to modernize its fleet, it mandated AMS Aircraft Services to sell five of the 747-400 freighters it owns on its behalf.
AMS Aircraft Services to Sell Five of China Airlines’ Oldest 747s
China Airlines has, depending on the source, still 14 or 15 Boeing 747-400 freighters in its fleet. All of those were manufactured between 2001 and 2007.
The airline is looking to sell, through a request for proposal issued by AMS Aircraft Services, five airframes manufactured between 2001 and 2003. In the past, it retired a couple of other airframes of the type. It is unclear which exact airframes will be the ones to be sold this time.
Currently, China Airlines has six 747-400s made during that period, albeit not all of them active. Together, they are the oldest 747 airframes in its fleet. They include:
- B-18708 delivered in November 2001 (currently active)
- B-18710 delivered in March 2002 (currently active)
- B-18711 delivered in September 2002 (hasn’t flown since the end of October 2023)
- B-18712 delivered in July 2003 (inactive/parked)
- B-18715 delivered in August 2003(inactive/parked)
- B-18716 delivered in December 2003 (inactive/parked)
Based on the six aircraft’s status and the fact the airframes being offered for sale were made between 2001 and 2003, my guess would be that B-18708, B-18711, B-18712, B-18715, and B-18716 will be leaving the fleet.
China Airlines is ready to deliver the six aircraft to their next owner(s) between April and October 2024.
China Airlines Also Operates Boeing 777 Freighters
The Boeing 747 possesses some unique qualities as a freighter (like being able to load cargo through its nose) that other civil cargo aircraft do not. That said, the aircraft is also past its prime days which is why China Airlines started adding Boeing 777 freighters to its fleet in 2020.
It took delivery of two in 2020, one in 2021, and two in 2022 and 2023 each for a total of seven airframes so far. China Airlines Cargo is also scheduled to take delivery of another three 777Fs by the end of 2024 for a total of 10.
With that, if the airline is successful in selling the five 747s, it should be stepping into 2025 with ten 777Fs and about the same number of Boeing 747 freighters.
Summary
The good news is that for the foreseeable future, China Airlines will remain a 747 freighter operator. After all, the type has some qualities that the airline’s 777Fs do not. The bad news is that the airline plans to cut its 747 fleet considerably – by about 30% – in 2024, from about 15 airframes down to just nine or ten.
China Airlines tasked AMS Aircraft Services with selling five of its oldest 747s. On the other side, the airline has three more 777Fs coming in to join its current fleet of seven.
Once the 747s are sold and the remaining 777Fs delivered, China Airlines will have about 20 freighter – 10 777Fs and about the same number of 747Fs.
