Two companies within the Avia Solutions Group, SmartLynx Airlines and Bluebird Nordic, announced on Friday that they are adding extra cargo capacity. SmartLynx Airlines is adding four Airbus A321Fs, and Bluebird Nordic has received its fourth Boeing 737BCF.
Bringing new life to older 737s
Bluebird Nordic, formerly known as Bluebird Cargo, is a freight airline based in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik. It operates scheduled and chartered cargo services within Europe from its hub at Reykjavik-Keflavik International Airport (KEF). In addition to its full-service cargo operations, Bluebird Nordic (Bluebird) offers aircrew maintenance and insurance (ACMI) wet leasing solutions.
Given its location in Iceland, one of Bluebird's markets is exporting fish, although it is also licensed to carry pharmaceuticals, perishable foods, dangerous goods, animals, and most types of cargo. It operates direct flights between Iceland and Billund Airport (BLL), Denmark, and Cologne, Germany. Bluebird also focuses on major European freight hubs, including Liege Airport in Belgium and East Midlands Airport (EMA) in the UK.
Bluebird started operations in 1999 with one Boeing 737-300F operating a freight run between Iceland, Germany, and the UK. Data from ch-aviation.com shows it has a fleet of 16 aircraft, although that has grown to 17 with the arrival last week of the latest 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF). Other aircraft in the fleet include one 737-300F, one 737-400F, six 737-400SF, three 737-800(BCF), one 737-800SF, one 777-200ER and three 777-300ER aircraft.
The latest 737-800BCF is part of a fleet expansion policy that started last year in response to soaring demand for freighter services. Bluebird CEO Audrone Keinyte said the airline is excited to add more 737 capacity to meet "skyrocketing demand." He added,
"The new aircraft have already proven to be great additions, ensuring reliable operations with impressive range and payload for an aircraft of this size. We plan to receive four more aircraft in the upcoming months, taking us up to eight 737-800s in our fleet."
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SmartLynx plans for 20 A321Fs
On Friday, mid-life narrowbody lessor Aero Capital Solutions (ACS) and SmartLynx Airlines announced the launch of an Airbus A321F freighter conversion program. The four A321Fs, with MSNs 941, 961, 1185, and 1241, are part of a sales and leaseback agreement with ACS and, after the conversion, will be registered in Malta.
The passenger-to-freighter conversions will be done by Precision Aircraft Solutions and Elbe Flugezeugwerke (EFW). SmartLynx intends to keep its primary focus on passenger operations but expects its cargo volumes to grow from 10% to 40% in the next two to three years. It aims to have 20 A321Fs in its fleet by the end of 2023.
CEO Zygimantas Surintas said he was unsure if moving into cargo was the right thing for SmartLynx, but it has proven to be the right choice, mainly due to the advantages of the A321F.
"In addition to tapping into a market that has grown during the pandemic, the addition of freight business helps offset the seasonal issues that ACMI operators typically face. The A321 F freighters have helped us reduce flight operational costs by up to 15% and ensure up to 20% lower fuel consumption than other aircraft in the class."
DHL will be SmartLynxs' first cargo customer and operates the A321F, which Surintas says is the first narrowbody freighter that offers containerized lower cargo deck capacity.