NICHOLAS IONIDES / SINGAPORE
Hong Kong carrier is looking to add aircraft after reporting huge increase in cargo traffic
Dragonair is planning to triple the size of its Boeing 747 freighter fleet over the next five years as it battles with the drop in passenger demand due to the knock-on effects of SARS.
The Hong Kong carrier moved into dedicated freighter operations three years ago and has three 747-300Fs that operate to Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Chief executive Stanley Hui is looking to add "a few" more Classic 747 freighters in the near term, and over the next five years add four or five 747-400 Special Freighters.
Hui says Dragonair has "shown interest in the converted 747-400 freighter, the programme which we understand will become available from Boeing later on".
Boeing has discussed its planned programme to convert 747-400s to freighters with several carriers and hopes to take a decision soon.
Aircraft would be modified at Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering.
Dragonair has reported huge growth in cargo traffic since launching freighter operations. Hui says the growth plans are "part of our cargo strategy to expand further our freighter capability".
Source: Flight International
