Boeing

Boeing has delivered two 747-8 Freighters to Russian air cargo carrier AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC), which is a unit of Volga-Dnepr Group.

Last June, both the companies had signed a MoU finalising the cargo aircraft deal and the recent deliveries have been made as part of the deal.

With the deal, ABC aims to offer enhanced cargo carrying service.

With the latest deliveries, ABC’s total fleet includes eight 747-8 Freighters, five 747-400 Extended Range Freighters, and two 747-400 Freighters.

The deal further adds the Antonov-124-100 aircraft as a long-term logistics support for Boeing and its affiliates.

AirBridgeCargo Airlines executive president Denis Ilin said: "For Volga Dnepr Group, adding more new generation 747-8 Freighters will secure further development of the Group’s scheduled business, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, and keep the airline’s high growth rates."

AirBridgeCargo expects to place the new planes on its network between Asia and US in the winter schedule of 2015 / 2016.

Boeing said that 747-8 Freighter offers the advantage of low operating costs and better environmental performance to the cargo operators.

"For Volga Dnepr Group, adding more new generation 747-8 Freighters will secure further development of the Group’s scheduled business, AirBridgeCargo Airlines."

Further, the 747-8 Freighter is said to provide 16% more revenue cargo volume than 747-400.

Last August, Korean Air took the delivery of its first 747-8 Intercontinental from Boeing. It was the first delivery of 10 747-8 passenger airplanes, ordered by the airline.

The delivery has made Korean Air to be the first carrier in the globe, which operates both passenger and freighter variants of 747-8.

At present, Korean Air operates seven 747-8 Freighters.

Image: The Boeing 747-8 Freighter. Photo courtesy of Boeing