THAI to convert old passenger aircraft into freighters

THAI Airways International plans to invest up to US$56 million to convert two ageing Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft into dedicated freighters to meet growing demand for air cargos. The jets are believed to have been coming up for retirement since service began 15-20 years.

The conversion work is expected to be performed by Boeing or Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and is likely to be completed in the second quarter of next year, reports the Bangkok Post.

It said the proposal has gained the approval of the airline's board which decided not to renew a two-year contract with Southern Air to provide long-haul freight forwarding services using two new Boeing 777-200 long range freighters. This comes after talks to secure lower fees through a block space purchase with the Connecticut-based low-cost airline broke down.

According to Pichai Chunganuwad, managing director of THAI's cargo and mail commercial department, the aircraft conversion proposal was regarded as the most economically viable option available.

The report said THAI would be able to use the converted freighters for another 10-15 years rather than sell them off cheaply. The converted aircraft would be able to carry 100 tonnes of cargo from Bangkok to Frankfurt without stopping to refuel.

It said that the carrier will add five converted freighters to its fleet over the next five years, with three of the planes to be operated on long-haul routes, and the remaining two on regional services with a payload of 50-60 tonnes.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)