August 12 - Qatar Airways Cargo has added a Boeing B747-400 BCF (Boeing converted freighter) to its charter fleet, with a second B747-400 freighter joining the airline in October 2015.
Qatar said the additions have been made to meet demand for ad-hoc and outsize airfreight transportation. The B747-400 BCF, which has a payload of 123.5 tonnes and a large side-loading door capable of handling outsize components, has completed its first flight from Doha to Hong Kong.
Qatar Airways chief officer cargo, Ulrich Ogiermann, said: "A dedicated charter aircraft will enable Qatar Airways Cargo to satisfy growing demand from our customers for capacity in the ad-hoc charter market," adding that, "The addition of the B747 freighter will enable further flexibility by supplementing our existing scheduled services as and when required."
The second B747-400 freighter, which will join Qatar Airways during Q3 2015, will feature a nose-loading door to further extend the airline's outsize cargo handling capabilities.
Qatar Airways Cargo confirmed an order for an additional four B777 freighters at the Paris Air Show in June, increasing its outstanding fleet order to eight B777 freighters and two Airbus A330 freighters.
