Cargo B to lease 747-400 freighter from Nippon Cargo

Brussels-based Cargo B Airlines said Monday it will dry lease a 747-400 freighter from Nippon Cargo Airlines.

The freighter, scheduled to be delivered toward the end of the year, will be employed on South American routes and will take over from an existing 747-200 that will be phased out during 2009, the airline said.

We are currently operating three frequencies per week with very high loads ex-Brussels to Sao Paulo, returning with perishables, especially flowers from Bogota and Quito, said Niek van der Weide, executive vice president for Cargo B, in a statement. The market for flowers is quite steady and in addition, we are carrying out extra charters and part charters to destinations such as Brasilia, Asuncion, Buenos Aires and Panama, all combined with our flights from Brussels. The 747-400's payload of up to 120 tons, and better fuel economy will multiply our opportunities not only on the South American routes but also for other routes we are looking at to operate in the future. Cargo B also has an interline agreement with NCA to carry cargo, such as flowers, from South America to Japan while NCA feeds cargo from Asia to Latin American markets on Cargo B flights, van der Weide added.

The duration or value of the lease was not specified.