LOUISVILLE, Ky.---UPS today announced a firm order for an additional 60 A300-600 freighters from Airbus Industrie to handle long-term growth in its air business and provide increased flexibility in managing its air operations on a global basis.
Previously, UPS placed a firm order for 30 A300-600 freighters in late 1998 for service within the continental United States. The first seven of those aircraft were delivered last fall and another 13 are scheduled for delivery this year.
The new order for 60 A300-600's supersedes options for 30 aircraft taken in 1998 and carries a list price of $6 billion. The latest order also includes options for an additional 50 aircraft, making it the largest single aircraft deal in UPS's history.
The order for additional planes was driven by a forecasted need for more wide-body, shorter-haul jet freighters that can operate economically on varied regional routes outside the United States. Several new and used aircraft types were considered, but the A300-600 was judged to provide the best combination of operating characteristics and extended acquisition economics.
"We remain confident about our long-term customer demand in the United States and abroad,'' observed Bob Lekites, vice president, UPS Airlines Operations. "And whether it's in Europe, Asia or Latin America, we need to be prepared to deploy a modern jet freighter that's flexible enough to operate anywhere. This order for the A300-600 provides us that long-term capability and fits our very specific needs.''
The acquisition of the A300-600's will be spread over a nine-year period. The aircraft is being added to a UPS fleet of 238 jets that includes 231 Boeing 727, 757, 767 and 747 aircraft and McDonnell Douglas DC-8's. In November, UPS announced a decision to add the MD-11 to its fleet starting in late 2001 by acquiring at least 13 converted MD-11 freighters from Boeing.
UPS's selection of the Airbus A300-600 is the result of an extensive search for a wide-body regional freighter that meets the company's requirements for a reliable, environmentally friendly, high-capacity aircraft to handle demand on various intra-region routes around the world. UPS's growth within such regions as Europe, Asia and Latin America is providing an opportunity to place a larger, dedicated air fleet in each region to augment the aircraft now flying between the United States and global destinations.
During the third quarter of 2000, for example, UPS's international export volume climbed 23% compared to the year-earlier period.
"We have found the A300-600 to be a very flexible plane that fits well in the UPS fleet,'' said Lekites. "We now expect to use this aircraft on routes throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America.''
The A300-600 has the capacity to carry 22 containers on its upper deck and seven containers in the lower cargo compartments. With a maximum structural payload of 109,600 pounds and a range of 2,500 nautical miles, the Airbus A300-600 meets the strictest U.S. and European noise and emission reduction standards.
Serving more than 200 countries and territories, UPS is the world's largest express carrier and largest package delivery company. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. (ends)
UPS Airlines Places Order for 60 Airbus Freighters
