The cargo division of the German airline Lufthansa received the first Airbus A321 converted under the P2F (Passenger-to-Freight, passenger-to-cargo) program.
The first LH Cargo Airbus A321P2F landed on January 30 at Munich Airport after a 16-hour flight from Singapore, where the aircraft was undergoing conversion at Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a joint venture between Airbus and ST Engineering.
The aircraft is currently awaiting final painting. The carrier plans to start its scheduled flights in the coming weeks. The German airline has leased two A321P2F aircraft from BBAM, citing growing demand for transporting e-commerce goods.
Now Lufthansa must obtain the necessary approvals from the German Federal Aviation Administration in order to then carry out the technical transfer of the aircraft to Lufthansa Cityline, which will be the official operator. The second plane is due to arrive in Germany in the second half of this year.
The Airbus A321F (A321P2F) is the cargo version of the A321. It has a large capacity and could easily replace its predecessor, the veteran cargo aircraft, the 757F. Another distinguishing feature of the A321P2F is a new cargo door, as well as moving the front door closer to the nose of the aircraft.
EFW is a joint venture between Airbus and ST Engineering. Her specialization is the reconstruction and re-equipment of airliners, as well as their subsequent maintenance. Despite the fact that the main office is located in Dresden, the main activity is carried out in Singapore.
Source: Air Cargo News