Canada’s Air Inuit is preparing to put into service a Boeing 737-800 converted into a combi configuration – claiming that the jet is the first of the type to undergo this modification.
The modified aircraft has a forward cargo compartment with space for five pallets plus a 90-seat passenger cabin in the aft section.
Air Inuit disclosed in mid-2023 that it was planning to introduce three 737-800 freighters, two of them combis, to replace older 737-200s.
It states that it will put the first 737-800 combi into operation on 13 January – flying the Montreal-Kuujjuaq route – following its certification by Transport Canada.
US-based Aeronautical Engineers carried out the work through its authorised Canadian conversion facility KF Aerospace, located in Kelowna.
“This aircraft allows us to modernise northern jet service while preserving the flexibility that is essential to our mission,” says Air Inuit chief Christian Busch.
“Our investment in this next–generation combi reflects Air Inuit’s commitment to innovation that directly serves the unique passenger and freight needs of the communities and the people.”
Combi conversion of another 737-800 is scheduled for completion in February.
Air Inuit says the jets will offer improved passenger comfort, in-flight wi-fi, greater capacity and higher fuel efficiency than the older models.
“Air Inuit plays a vital role in connecting and supporting the communities of Nunavik, and this new aircraft strengthens our ability to fulfil that mission,” says executive chair Noah Tayara.
