Lufthansa Cargo rolls over fleet in favor of MD-11s

Lufthansa Cargo rolls over fleet in favor of MD-11s

   Lufthansa Cargo plans to sell its eight 747-200 freighters within a year and switch entirely to smaller, but more efficient, MD-11 aircraft as part of a wider fleet restructuring designed to reduce operating costs and free up capital for future investments.

   The German airline said Air Atlanta Icelandic has already agreed to purchase three of the jumbo jets and make them available to Lufthansa on a charter basis as needed.

   Lufthansa will supplement its 14 MD-11 freighters by converting five MD-11 passenger aircraft to the freighter configuration by January 2005.

   The MD-11 has a cargo payload of 85 tons compared to the 747-200s maximum payload of 105 tons. Lufthansa officials said the fleet change was dictated by environmental regulations requiring quieter aircraft, and cost savings generated by operating a uniform fleet, the MD-11s longer range and its significantly better fuel efficiency.

   Lufthansa said its fleet of 19 MD-11s will be the largest in the air cargo industry.