Atlas Air Plans Boeing 777-8F Order

Atlas Air is the largest customer of the upcoming Airbus A350F, but now its sights are set on Boeing and the competing 777-8F for its future flying needs.

Speaking in Rio de Janeiro, Atlas Air CEO Michael Steen said the 777-8F is a model they remain completely open to, and that the A350F order doesn’t rule anything out.

Boeing and Airbus are going toe-to-toe for market share in the new-gen and large-freight sectors, with both companies set to launch their offerings by the end of the decade.

A Large A350F Customer, Atlas Air, Is

In March, Atlas Air became the largest customer of the Airbus A350F with a deal comprising 20 firm units; however, the transaction included options for a further 20, bringing the total to 40 if exercised.

The company thus quickly became the largest customer for the new cargo variant, with deliveries expected to begin by the end of the decade and continue through the 2030s.

For Atlas Air, this deal meant it could transition more quickly, for its own gain and ahead of the competition, towards these next-generation freight models. Additionally, knowing that it was flying a model that was designed to meet the new ICAO 2027 CO2 standards while replacing older, less efficient jets.

At the time of the order, such a deal was seen as pivotal to securing delivery slots before competing freight providers replaced their legacy types, which were setting sail into the sunset across fleets globally.

These A350F jets burn far less fuel and offer strong payload capabilities that extend the aircraft’s range. As a result, for any operator, the next-generation freighters being offered are a much more capable option.

However, Atlas Air needs far more than just 40 aircraft, and the business remains committed to Boeing. That is now more visible than ever as Steen pushes the narrative that the manufacturer is not just deeply embedded in its operations now but will be long into the future, even if Airbus has a role.

The Boeing 777-8F Comes Into The Picture

Steen now holds the view that a purchase of the Boeing 777-8F is a hopeful prospect; this would be a medium- to long-term transaction to help replace older freighters, with the 777-200Fs seen as a more short-term solution.

As a result, an order may not come for quite some time; however, the appeal of the 777-8F will remain even if the A350F is on order, and for good reason at Atlas Air.

The fleet commonality element is a major driver of interest in the new Boeing freighter. Atlas already flies the 777F, and this newer model provides crews with the infrastructure and additional benefits to transition to a model that would smoothly fit into the ecosystem from multiple angles.

The capabilities of the 777-8F are also favoured, offering a different payload sweet spot for some operators than the A350F; the jet can be averaged on some of the more ultra-long-haul missions where Atlas Air needs to prioritize every single tonne of cargo it chooses to carry.

Historically, for customers like Atlas Air, there’s been a reliance on many different freight types of different capabilities. Whether leveraging the 747F or a 767F, each has a purpose, and ultimately, each must be replaced, even if that means adopting a mixed-fleet makeup into the next generation.

Even now, for freight operators, diversifying risk and not committing to a single OEM has its benefits if issues were to arise with one jet, there’d be another on hand to maintain the performance deep into the future.

At least for now, the 777-8F order doesn’t seem imminent, as Atlas Air is exploring other solutions to meet short-term needs before such a transaction would occur. That said, the company is interested, and internal negotiations are ongoing to find the perfect mix, as at many other competing freight providers.