Azerbaijan-based Silk Way West Airlines said Monday it has added a sixth 777 freighter to its order from Boeing.
The all-cargo carrier has received two of five Boeing 777 freighters it committed to purchase in 2021. The new order is scheduled for delivery in 2025, and the rest are expected to arrive by 2027.
Silk Way West also has ordered two next-generation 777-8 freighters, which aren’t scheduled for delivery until the end of the decade, as well as two large A350 freighters from Airbus. The 777-8 must still be tested and certified. The Airbus planes won’t be ready until 2027 and 2028.
The 777 freighter has a range of 5,700 miles and a maximum designed payload of 236,000 pounds, which allows the plane to make fewer stops and save on landing fees on long-haul routes.
In addition to the two 777s, Silk Way West operates 12 Boeing 747-400 and 747-8 cargo jets to more than 40 destinations around the world from its centrally located base in Baku.
Silk Way West is expanding its fleet even as the air cargo sector recovers from a 16-month downturn. Medium-to-long-term forecasts call for 3.5% to 4% compound annual growth in airfreight volumes.
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