Tag Archives: boeing 777 freighters

Emirates to launch the world’s longest air route

Emirates (Dubai) has announced plans to launch services to Panama City, beginning February 1, 2016.

The new service will be the longest nonstop flight in the world (17 hours 35 minutes in the westbound direction) and will be Emirates’ first gateway destination in Central America.

Service to Panama City, Panama’s capital and largest city by population, will commence with a daily flight operated by a Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft in a 3-class layout – 8 in First, 42 in Business, and 216 in Economy. The aircraft can carry up to 15 tons of cargo. Key imports to the country include pharmaceuticals, machinery products, iron/steel rods, and electronics. Service to Panama City will operate through Tocumen International Airport (PTY).

Later this year, Emirates will be adding four additional routes to its global network including Mashhad, Iran and Orlando in September; Bamako, Mali in October; and Bologna in November.
Service to Panama City to begin on February 1, 2016

Emirates flight EK251 will depart Dubai at 08:05 and arrive in Panama City at 16:40 daily. The return flight EK252 will leave Panama City at 22:10, arriving in Dubai at 22:55 the next day.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-21H LR (Longer Range) A6-EWH (msn 35587) departs from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Emirates aircraft slide show:

FedEx Express plans to acquire 19 additional Boeing 767-300F freighters and convert four 777 freighters

FedEx Express, a wholly owned subsidiary of FedEx Corporation (Memphis), today (June 29) agreed to purchase 19 additional Boeing 767-300F freighters from The Boeing Company to continue to improve the efficiency and technology of the FedEx air fleet.

As part of the agreement, Boeing has agreed to convert four Boeing 777 freighters — two in fiscal 2016 and two in fiscal 2017 — to 767 equivalent purchase value. FedEx Express currently operates 19 long-range 777 freighters and now is committed to purchase an additional 24 777s.

The 19 767s will be delivered from fiscal 2015 to 2019 and replace current McDonnell Douglas MD-10Fs and A310-200 freighters. The impact to capital spending in fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2014 is immaterial, and estimated fiscal 2013 capital spending remains at $3.9 billion. The 767s are substantially more fuel efficient and reliable than the aircraft they will replace.

The 767s will provide similar capacity as the MD-10s, with an approximate 30 percent increase in fuel efficiency and a reduction in unit operating costs of more than 20 percent. They also increase efficiency by sharing spare parts, tooling and flight simulators with the Boeing 757-200s which are part of the FedEx air fleet.

Today’s action is in addition to a FedEx Express agreement with Boeing announced in December 2011 to purchase 27 new 767s for delivery between fiscal 2014 and 2018 and delay delivery of a number of 777s.

In June, FedEx announced the permanent retirement from service of 18 Airbus A310 aircraft and 26 related engines, as well as six McDonnell Douglas MD-10 aircraft and 17 related engines, bringing the total to 50 aircraft to be retired by the end of fiscal 2013.

Image: Boeing.

FedEx: