UPS has ordered 10 Airbus jumbo jets due to a need for larger aircrafts to handle international trade.
The company ordered 10 A380 super-jumbo freighter aircrafts and amended a previous order for the A300 model.
“The A380 will allow UPS to effectively meet the fast-growing demands of our customers across a variety of global trade lanes,” said UPS COO and president of UPS Airlines, John Beystehner. “This plane offers an exciting combination of payload and range that will help improve both the capability and efficiency of our international network.”
Deliveries of UPS’s A380s are scheduled to begin in 2009 and run through 2012. The order also gives UPS the option to purchase 10 more of the planes. The purchase price of the aircraft was not disclosed. UPS has not yet made an engine selection for the A380.
“We are extraordinarily pleased to have UPS join the growing list of A380 customers, particularly because their order demonstrates the strength of the aircraft as a freighter for air carriers based around the world,” stated Airbus president and CEO, Noel Forgeard.
The A380 has the capacity to carry three decks of cargo with container capacity of nearly 40,000 cubic feet and a maximum structural payload of 330,000 pounds. With a range of 5,600 nautical miles, the A380 can fly non-stop to places around the world that used to take two or more flights.
“We continually evaluate and adjust the company’s air network to meet the needs of our customers,” Beystehner said. “Our strong international growth has increased our need for larger aircraft and the super jumbo is part of that solution.”
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