BOEING did not include nose loading capabilities in its latest widebody freighter design due to a lack of demand and ample supply of existing types.
Speaking at the recent TIACA World Cargo Symposium, Boeing regional director of marketing Tom Hoang said that the company had held a series of customer working groups when developing its new Boeing 777-8 freighter.
According to Mr Hoang, demand for nose-loading capabilities was not high on the list of demands from within the working groups, reports London's Air Cargo News.
'For some airlines, it's more important, but overall, it's a relatively small market for outsize cargo that really requires the nose loader,' he said.
Qatar Airways' vice president of cargo network planning and strategic partnerships Elodie Berthonneau added that only around 1-2 per cent of the cargo flown by the airline requires nose loading.
'The value of [having nose-loading capabilities] does not justify the cost,' she said.
This view was echoed by Lufthansa Cargo director of sales and handling Georg Theis who added that the door on a Boeing 777 was quite large anyway.
Mr Hoang said that there were also still plenty of aircraft with nose-loading capability in the market to satisfy demand over the coming years.
He said that there were around 140 nose loading Boeing 747-400s still in service with of an average age of 20 years. These aircraft would be around for the next 10 years he said.
SeaNews Turkey
Speaking at the recent TIACA World Cargo Symposium, Boeing regional director of marketing Tom Hoang said that the company had held a series of customer working groups when developing its new Boeing 777-8 freighter.
According to Mr Hoang, demand for nose-loading capabilities was not high on the list of demands from within the working groups, reports London's Air Cargo News.
'For some airlines, it's more important, but overall, it's a relatively small market for outsize cargo that really requires the nose loader,' he said.
Qatar Airways' vice president of cargo network planning and strategic partnerships Elodie Berthonneau added that only around 1-2 per cent of the cargo flown by the airline requires nose loading.
'The value of [having nose-loading capabilities] does not justify the cost,' she said.
This view was echoed by Lufthansa Cargo director of sales and handling Georg Theis who added that the door on a Boeing 777 was quite large anyway.
Mr Hoang said that there were also still plenty of aircraft with nose-loading capability in the market to satisfy demand over the coming years.
He said that there were around 140 nose loading Boeing 747-400s still in service with of an average age of 20 years. These aircraft would be around for the next 10 years he said.
SeaNews Turkey
