News
AirAsia takes first 737-800 freighter; reportedly talking to Airbus about A321neo cargo jet
November 4th 2021
AirAsia Aviation’s logistics arm, Teleport, has taken delivery of its first dedicated cargo jet amid reports it is talking to Airbus about a potential A321neo freighter. Read More » The 737-800 freighter adds to belly space available to Teleport in AirAsia Group’s passenger planes and is part of plans to build a cargo-only network to cater for rising e-commerce and general freight demands. Stationed in Bangkok, the freighter will be able to reach key markets such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Chennai and Mumbai as well as other major Southeast Asian destinations. The freighter, which offers a fully containerised main deck and large volume capacity of 21 tonnes, was acquired through a multi-year agreement with specialist cargo operator, K-Mile Asia. “The addition of the freighter to our fleet will accelerate the company's goal to shift from a pure air freight logistics provider to a complete multi-modal operator,’’ said Teleport CEO, Pete Chareonwongsak. “We have always been on a fast-track growth route to continuously propel Teleport’s air cargo business forward by spotlighting our commitment to moving anything across Southeast Asia. We look forward to what’s in the pipeline not just for Teleport but for everyone in the industry.” Reuters also reported AirAsia was in talks with Airbus about a potential A321neo cargo jet and possibly converting a “meaningful chunk” of its 362 A321neo orders. "For a lot of the markets that we need to reach both in range and capacity, it's a great product," Chareonwongsak was reported to have said about the possible freighters. "Would we be the launch customer? I don't know. We'll see." Airbus has not confirmed speculation it is considering the freighter type.
