Lufthansa Cargo Airlines will more than double the number of widebody freighters in its fleet within the next eight years. The German carrier is evaluating the Boeing 747-400 Freighter to replace its 747-200Fs.
Karl Ulrich Garnadt, network vice-president of the wholly owned cargo arm of Lufthansa Group, says that it has begun a major restructure of the fleet. "The first step was disposing of five ageing [McDonnell Douglas] DC-8-73 freighters, and we have now also decided to convert all seven 747-400 combis in the Lufthansa fleet to an all-passenger configuration, since this mode of operating aircraft is no longer appropriate for our customers," he says.
Gernadt says that Lufthansa Cargo concluded that, with passenger- and cargo-market requirements diverging significantly, the combi concept is the cause of a clash of interests and is no longer viable. Instead, Lufthansa Cargo will be adding five Boeing MD-11 freighters to its 13 747-200Fs.
With the first MD-11 freighter scheduled for delivery in June 1998, Garnadt says that a replacement plan for the carrier's 747-200Fs is being prepared and will be finalised in 1998, with the 747-400 Freighter being seriously examined. "We are looking it at very closely," he says, adding that a high utilisation capability (more than 15h/day), along with major savings through reduced fuel, crewing and maintenance costs, are the key considerations driving Lufthansa Cargo to look at all-new freighter types.
Garnadt also reveals that the German airline's Boeing 737-300QC "quick-change" fleet, which carries passengers by day and is used for cargo at night, may well be converted into permanent full freighter configuration or could be replaced by a type such as the Airbus A300B4 or the Boeing 757 freighter.
Source: Flight International
