Boeing announced that logistics giant UPS placed a firm order for 19 767-300Fs, concluding a record year for the air cargo segment.
“The Boeing 767 is the most versatile aircraft we operate,” said UPS President of U.S. Operations Nando Cesarone. “Our plan to purchase 19 aircraft and take delivery between 2023 and 2025 is aligned with the strategy and capital spending outlook we shared during our June 2021 Investor and Analyst Day. It also supports our sustainability efforts by streamlining our fleet and improving reliability,” he said.
The agreement comes on top of a record year for Boeing’s freighter sales, which includes 80 firm orders for new widebody freighters and more than 80 conversions. In 2021, demand for air cargo has boomed due to the expansion of e-commerce and express cargo markets.
“This latest order for 19 airplanes concludes an incredible year for the Boeing Freighter family,” said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing. “Since the program’s launch, UPS has consistently acknowledged the value of the 767 Freighter and has utilized the airplane’s outstanding cargo capabilities throughout its network. These new airplanes will enable UPS to meet expected short- and long-term cargo demand with the proven economics, reliability, and flexibility which are synonymous of the 767 Freighter.”
Based on the 767-300ER (Extended Range) airliner, the 767 Freighter carries up to 52.4 tons of cargo with intercontinental range, while serving as a flexible platform for the long-haul, regional, and feeder markets. UPS was the launch customer for the 767 Freighter in 1995 and has since ordered a total of 91 aircraft. The company currently operates 236 Boeing freighters, including the 747, 757, 767, and MD-11.
Boeing’s 2021 commercial market outlook projects a 4% annual increase in air cargo demand (cargo ton-kilometers) over the next 20 years. With more than 270 orders since the program’s launch, the 767 Freighter continues to play a key role in supporting this demand, along with a worldwide freighter fleet that is forecast to grow 70% by 2040.
