Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) has announced an agreement with China Postal Airlines (Beijing) for 10 Next-Generation 737 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCFs), pending a program launch.

Through its converted freighter programs, Boeing extends the valuable service life of a passenger airplane by modifying it to function as a freighter.

“This is a historic order both for China Postal and Boeing,” said Yufeng Li, president of China Postal Airlines, who signed the agreement with Boeing leaders at a ceremony today in Beijing. “The 737-800 BCF will bring to our freighter fleet more advanced avionics, better fuel efficiency and lower operating costs that will ensure China Postal’s continued success as a leader in the industry.”

The 737-800 is the first Next-Generation 737 that Boeing will offer for conversion.

Through the 737 BCF program, Boeing will support customers in the narrow-body freighter market, a segment of the freighter market growing quickly around the world.

China Postal Airlines joins Hangzhou-based YTO Airlines as a launch customer for the Boeing BCF program.

China Postal’s agreement with Boeing – which also includes the purchase of seven Boeing 757-200s that the airline plans to convert into freighters – marks the largest purchase order in the airline’s history.

China Postal Airlines Co.,Ltd. (CPA) was established on November 25, 1996 and officially launched services on February 27, 1997.

Up to now, the CPA fleet consists of twenty-two Boeing 737 aircraft including fourteen Boeing 737-300 and eight Boeing 737-400 freighters, as well as 4 leased Boeing 757-200 freighters.

The company uses Nanjing as its main cargo hub, as well as Shanghai and Wuhan as regional hubs, the company flies to 7 areas, including North China, East China, Northeast, Central China, South China, Southwest, Northeast and 3 international or regional cities containing Taipei (Taiwan), Seoul (South Korea) and Osaka (Japan).

CPA plans to expand its fleet to 30 aircraft.

Image: Boeing.

CPA aircraft slide show: