Airbus ups expectations for freighter fleet expansion

Airbus has upped its freighter fleet forecast for the coming 20 years despite lowering its expectation for cargo volume growth over the period.

Announced at the Cargo Facts Symposium, the airframer now expects the worldwide fleet of dedicated freighter aircraft to increase by 46% from 2,360 in 2026 to 3,460 aircraft by 2045.

This is up from the 3,420 Airbus predicted would be required by 2045 in its 2025 forecast.

Drilling into the figures further, Airbus said there will be a requirement for 2,670 freighters, with 1,580 aircraft replacing scrapped older freighters and 1,090 required to meet demand growth.

This story was originally published by Air Cargo News. Read the full story at Air Cargo News →