BOEING INKS US$6.6B DEAL WITH FEDEX
Firm to buy 24 cargo aircraft, plans to boost order book
BOEING Co landed a deal for 24 cargo aircraft from FedEx Corp worth US$6.6 billion (RM26.4 billion) as the revival in the air freight market continues to grow.
The package-hauler planned to add 12 of Boeing’s medium-size 767 freighters and 12 of the larger 777 cargo aircraft to its order book, said the Chicago-based planemaker. FedEx is already the largest customer for both aircraft models.
FedEx had been using new aircraft orders to replace aging freighters, such as its three-engine McDonnell Douglas MD-11s, to improve fuel efficiency and reliability without adding much capacity to its air cargo fleet, said chief operating officer David Bronczek. That might change as demand for air freight began to grow, he added.
“We’ve added very few incremental planes along the years here,’’ he said. “On the other hand, if we continue to see strong growth like we’re seeing now we could use them to add capacity.’’
After languishing for much of the decade, global air shipments rebounded strongly last year, spurred by online shoppers and strong trade.
The trend has provided new lift to Boeing’s wide-body jet line-up, where freighter models include the 767 and jumbo 747 jetliner.
Boeing last month announced plans to bump up annual output of the 767 by 20 per cent to 36 planes by 2020.