Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE
Hong Kong's Dragonair has confirmed it is buying two of four Boeing 747-300s which Singapore Airlines (SIA) has disposed of in separate deals. The two combis will be converted to -300 Special Freighters (SF) by Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering (TAECO) in China for delivery next year.
The agreement with TAECO, which is a partner in the Boeing Airplane Services' (BAS) 747SF conversion programme, is due to be signed on 6 November. BAS recently delivered the first converted 747-300SF to Atlas Air (the programme launch customer) and Dragonair had been tipped to be one of the next customers for the conversion (Flight International, 24-30 October P14). Initial conversions of the stretched upper deck -300s was undertaken at the BAS plant in Wichita, Kansas.
SIA's fleet of six Pratt & Whitney JT9D-powered 747-300s and two -300 Combis has been grounded for two years while the carrier sought a buyer for them. Along with the disposal of the two Combis, two passenger models are being traded back to Boeing as part of the airline's recently announced deal for six 747-400Fs. An earlier agreement to place the two -300s with South African start-up African Star subsequently fell through. Buyers are still being sought for its other four -300s.
The deal with Dragonair comes as part of the Hong Kong airline's plans to expand its own dedicated cargo operations, which began in July using a 747-200F wet-leased from Atlas Air. The carrier has said it expects to buy a third aircraft for conversion in 2002.
Dragonair now operates dedicated cargo services from Hong Kong to Manchester via Dubai and Amsterdam, and from Hong Kong to Shanghai. New routes are expected to China, Taiwan, the USA and destinations in South-East Asia.
Source: Flight International
