Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Boeing remains confident it will fill 777 production gap; cash flow to remain strong
Dec. 3, 2014: Boeing remains “confident” it will be able to bridge the 777 Classic production line at current rates to the introduction of the 777X in 2020, including some “feathering” of the two airplanes. Boeing president and… Read More
Airbus, Boeing freighter demand forecasts optimistic, says P2F company
Special to Leeham News By Cliff Duke LCF Freighter Conversions I have mapped out below the last five years of OEM forecasts (Boeing World Air Cargo Forecasts and Airbus Global Market Forecast data) on widebody conversions calibrated against… Read More
Boeing cargo forecast: 540 new 777F, 747-8F category deliveries over 20 years
Subscription required. Introduction Boeing forecasts a requirement for 540 new cargo aircraft of 80 tonnes and up over the next 20 years. This is for airplanes in the Boeing 777F and 747-8F category. Another 250 new-build cargo airplanes… Read More
Assessing the wide-body and narrow-body freighters
This column has been updated since distribution to our e-mail recipients Sept. 22. There is an emerging demand to replace aging small- and medium-size wide-body freighters, but with limited choices to replace them. Airbus A310Fs and A300Fs are… Read More
The diminishing market for main deck freighters
At the IATA Cargo symposium last month Fred Smith laid it on the line – there is currently over-capacity in the market, the Industry is undergoing what he described as a profound transformation and he warned that the… Read More
British Air’s exit from dedicated cargo fuels doubt over 747-8F future
The decision by British Airways to exit the dedicated freighter business by returning three Boeing 747-8Fs to ACMI operator Atlas Air demonstrates the continued weakness of the global air freight market. Boeing is counting on the global freight… Read More
Odds and Ends: Cathay cancels 8 777Fs, takes up 3 747-8Fs; soft cargo market a concern
Cathay cancels 777F order: Cathay Pacific Airways canceled an order for eight Boeing 777Fs. CX will instead acquire three 747-8Fs, trading in four 747-400Fs to Boeing. The cargo market remains soft and Boeing is struggling to sell 747-8Fs…. Read More
Odds and Ends: Cargolux, Qatar to split; P-8A and MAX; More on Sequestration; Dodging that depth charge
Cargolux, Qatar Airways to split: Several news stories report that Qatar Airways is going to dump its 35% stake in Cargolux. The stories indicate a disagreement in the direction of Cargolux. This story is the most detailed, although… Read More
Caution flags waving as we enter 2012
As 2012 opens, we are concerned about the increasing signs global cargo traffic is softening. Cargo traffic is typically a leading indicator of passenger traffic, both on the decline and subsequent rise. Cargo traffic fell 25% globally at… Read More