ACT Airlines orders two A330-200 freighters

Istanbul-headquartered ACT Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to purchase two A330-200 freighter aircraft.

"Expanding our fleet with the Airbus A330-200F will allow us to further meet Turkey's demand for air cargo transportation. The A330-200F is the ideal complement to our existing aircraft portfolio and builds on our success with the Airbus A300 B4 Freighters. Its payload range characteristics will open up new possibilities for our customers paired with very attractive operating costs," said Yavuz Cizmeci, ACT Airlines CEO.

Founded in 2004 ACT Airlines currently operates seven Airbus A300 B4 aircraft. This new purchase will allow ACT to offer non-stop services between Istanbul to Hong Kong, Singapore and New York.

"We are delighted with ACT Airlines' renewed confidence in Airbus aircraft. ACT Airlines' decision to select the A330-200F adds to the very robust launch of this latest member of our freighter family," said John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer for customers.

The A330-200F is a mid-size, long haul all-cargo aircraft capable of carrying 64 tonnes over 7,400 kilometres in "range mode" configuration, or 69 metric tons up to 5,930 km in "payload mode." The A330-200F offers 30 per cent more volume than any freighter in its class, a company statement said.

According to Airbus one of the advantages of the A330-200F is that it is the first freighter to introduce a versatile main-deck cargo loading system, which can accommodate both pallets and containers.