Atlas Air will operate two new Boeing 747-8 freighters on a global basis for freight forwarder Kuehne+Nagel (K+N) in a long-term, dedicated charter agreement.
The US-based freighter lessor will operate the aircraft for K+N following their delivery from airframer Boeing, with one expected in the third quarter and the second in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The two aircraft placed with K+N are the last B747s that Boeing will produce after Atlas ordered the final four production aircraft to capitalise on strong airfreight demand. The B747-8F provides 20% higher payload capacity and 16% lower fuel consumption than B747-400F.
“We are delighted to expand our partnership with K+N by providing dedicated capacity for their growing global airfreight network,” said Atlas Air Worldwide president and chief executive John Dietrich.
“The Boeing 747-8F serves an incredibly important role in global airfreight, with advanced technology that allows for lower fuel consumption, higher capacity and unique nose-loading capability. We look forward to taking delivery of these two B747s and operating them for K+N to support their network for years to come.”
Yngve Ruud, member of the management board of K+N responsible for Air Logistics, said: “As a market leader in airfreight, K+N further expands its dedicated charter network to support customers with solutions for long-term planning and high-quality service.
“We are proud to partner with Atlas Air and include these two new Boeing 747-8Fs in our already extensive global capacity offering.”
