Aircraft

Luxembourg-based freight operator Cargolux has sold a Boeing 747-400F to UPS and a second aircraft will follow at the end of the month.

The agreement with UPS was signed within the context of Cargolux's fleet renewal programme, focusing on the 747-8 freighter, for which the carrier is the launch customer.

"The agreement with UPS was signed some time ago and concerns a total four of our older 747-400Fs," a Cargolux spokesman says.

Cargolux was to have received the first of 13 747-8Fs in September 2009 but delays at Boeing mean this has been put back to "after summer 2010", the spokesman adds.

"While there was some overlapping planned, given that final delivery dates of new aircraft tend to change over time, basically the intention was to receive the -8s as direct replacements for the -400s leaving the fleet," he says. "So we will fly for some time with a reduced fleet."

He says the other two of the four aircraft bound for UPS are expected to leave the fleet in the second half of 2010 when the delivery of the -8 is to due to start.

With the first two -400s sold to UPS, Cargolux's fleet will be reduced to 13 aircraft following its lease of a 747 to new Italian operation Cargolux Italia.