Qatar Airways New Aircraft Delayed

Qatar Airways is planning for further delays in the acquisition of new aircraft, this time for its freighter division.

Reporting by Aircargonews highlights the Group’s efforts to develop its freighter aircraft fleet away from the 777-8F in the short term, due to delays.

Now, the expectation of a first delivery, rather than in the next couple of years, is going to be extended at least another 12 months, if not even further beyond that.

However, the Doha-based Group has made plans to mitigate some of the operational losses that will be experienced in the short term due to the delayed deliveries.

Qatar Airways Secures More Freighters

Qatar Airways confirmed in May that it would purchase five of the upcoming Boeing 777-200LRMFs to support its Cargo division, being the launch operator.

Mammoth Freighters, the provider of the converted freighters, also confirmed at this point the successful completion of the initial test flight for the first 777-200LRMF prototype freighter.

The aircraft, registered as N705DN, previously flew with Delta. The unit was initially delivered to Delta in March 2009 and remained in service until the COVID-19 pandemic, when the U.S. carrier made the difficult decision to retire the Boeing 777 fleet.

While the first flight helped validate all the work conducted, it also demonstrated that the capabilities featured on the 777-200LRMF will help set the standard for future conversions as they become more common.

Freight conversions from passenger aircraft have long been a presence; however, for specific aircraft types, these conversions are expected to increase significantly in the coming years.

Aircraft forecasting indicates that an increasing number of Boeing 777s will continue to be retired from passenger operations; however, this doesn’t mean their operational life should come to an end.

Passenger-to-freighter conversions offer great opportunities for planes to extend their lives and provide valuable use to freighter operators sooner than some other factory-built planes.

In an era where significant obstacles exist in delivering next-generation types, conversions can, as seen with Qatar Airways, present a new opportunity to acquire capacity sooner rather than later.

Progress On The 777-8F

Despite news that the 777-8F will be delayed, there is some positive progress.

Cargofacts reported Boeing has quietly commenced the initial work on producing the first upcoming 777-8 freighter, part of the 777X family.

The work involves Boeing’s closest suppliers manufacturing the components necessary for the first unit, including the wing and other elements, for eventual delivery to the planemaker for assembly.

This development was then confirmed through an internal article shared with employees, marking a step in the right direction for the 777X program, which has encountered numerous delays in recent times.