National Airlines to increase its fleet size

National Airlines has expanded its fleet with three more B747-400Fs and an A330-200 passenger aircraft. Image:  National Airlines

National Airlines’ current fleet includes two B747-400Fs and one B757-200. The Airbus A330-200 passenger aircraft, which has already joined the fleet, is deployed primarily for charters and contract flying for its corporate and government customers.

National had acquired three B-747-400Fs two years back and because of the declining demand for airfreight all of them had been parked in Arizona. Current market conditions have prompted National to pull them out of storage now and quickly induct them into service after completing all the required maintenance checks.

The first of the three B747-400Fs will join the fleet this first week of October and will begin commercial operations. This will be followed by the second joining in later this month and the third will join in November this year, making a total fleet of five B-747-400Fs.

Chris Alf, chairman of National, said: “We always had a plan of bringing out the parked airplanes into service right at the beginning of the year but then the Covid-19 pandemic hit. We felt the urgency to bring on these aircraft to support the demand for moving the urgent relief supplies in support of governments and global aid agencies. It was strategically important for us to bring in additional cargo capacity since there is a huge constraint because of the pandemic taking away the belly capacity on passenger operations. We are happy to offer our global customers with an additional three B747-400Fs.”