In February when Express Freighters Australia, the wholly-owned freighter management company for Qantas, deploys a 767-300F for Qantas Freight, the aircraft will be the first freighter to wear a Qantas livery (sans kangaroo on the tail).
The 767-300F will be deployed on the Trans-Tasman route to New Zealand, Qantas says. The -aircraft will replace a 767-200F and offer an approximately 17,000 kg increased payload, or 40%. For ULD stats and cubic metre goodness, here is some more info of the -300F from Qantas:
Qantas Freight Executive Manager Stephen Cleary says in a statement the carrier is introducing the new aircraft type to
the route "in response to continued strong market demand".
"The Tasman is one of Qantas Freight's most important markets and this investment reinforces the commitment we
made when we established the freighter operation in 2009," Cleary says.
Express Freighters Australia, which has it owns Air Operators Certificate, operates four 737-300 freighters but in the livery of Australian air Express, a joint venture between Qantas Freight and Australia Post. Qantas Freight's three wet-leased 747-400 freighters wear the livery of their lessor, Atlas Air.
Qantas says it is finally painting a freighter in a Qantas livery "in recognition of the significant long-term commitment the Qantas Group is making to its freight operations". No word yet if the carrier will paint other aircraft in its livery.
Update: A spokeswoman explains the lack of kangaroo on the tail as: "The aircraft has a unique livery as
it is a dedicated freighter aircraft - any future acquisitions or dry leased
aircraft may also carry this dedicated freighter livery."
"At this stage there
are no plans to paint any of our current wet leased aircraft in a Qantas
livery."
The B767-300F aircraft, MSN 33510, is a production
line freighter manufactured in January 2006 and previously operated by All Nippon Airways. EFA will lease
the aircraft on a long term lease directly from Japan's SOJITZ Corporation, the spokeswoman says.