Freight Silk Way Airlines could acquire up to 20 B747-8F

According to a news article in the Azernews, Jahangir Askerov, President of CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines, has stated that Silk Way Airlines will have the need to purchase 20 additional Boeing 747-8F aircraft in the next ten years. The carrier currently operates a fleet of 9 Boeing 747-8F beside 5 B747-400F, seven Ilyushin Il-76TD and three Antonov An-12B.

Azerbaijan’s civil aviation plans to become the official carrier of China’s Great Silk Road project, which should connect several countries in Eastern Asia and Europe. 

Therefore, Jashangir Askerov has expressed its concern regarding a possible decision to cut the production of the Boeing 747-8F. Since Boeing has delivered the first B747-8 to a customer in 2012, over 120 aircraft have been delivered. More than 100 orders came from freight carriers ordering the cargo version B747-8F freighters. Similar to its competitor, the Airbus A380, Boeing has problems to find new customers for its latest Jumbo Jet generation. In January, UPS has ordered fourteen additional B747-8F. A new Silk Way Airlines could secure the production for the next years.

The Silk Road Economic Belt, also known as One Belt and One Road Initiative, is a development strategy proposed by the Chinese government. It should enhance cooperation and connectivity between the participating countries in Asia and Europe.