AeroTime
• Ian Molyneaux
Airbus expects the global dedicated freighter fleet to expand from 2,360 aircraft in 2026 to 3,460 by 2045. Of the 2,670 additional freighters it forecasts the market will need, 1,700 are expected to come from passenger-aircraft conversions and 970 to be new-build aircraft; Latin America is forecast to require 165.
Airbus A330
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Airbus expects the global dedicated freighter fleet to expand from 2,360 aircraft in 2026 to 3,460 by 2045. Of the 2,670 additional freighters it forecasts the market will need, 1,700 are expected to come from passenger-aircraft conversions and 970 to be new-build aircraft; Latin America is forecast to require 165.
Airbus is implementing an automatic power reserve function on the A330neo to provide additional thrust if an engine fails during takeoff. The feature is intended to maximize takeoff thrust in that emergency, adding to the twinjet’s planned enhancements; the articles provide no deployment timeline or performance figures.
Airbus has delivered the third A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport to Spain’s Air and Space Force, completing the three-aircraft acquisition launched in 2021. The aircraft add aerial refueling, strategic transport and medical evacuation capabilities to Spain’s fleet modernization program.
Airbus does not expect A330neo output to reach the peak rates previously achieved by the A330. The company says production capacity has been shifted to the A350 and A320neo programs, making the change in capacity allocation permanent.
SolitAir has added wet-leased Airbus A330-200F freighter capacity, according to a report in Commercial Aviation News. The available article summary provides no details on the aircraft’s lessor, quantity, deployment or lease term.
Spain plans to retire its two ageing VIP-configured A310-300s and acquire two A330-800(MRTT+) aircraft configured for military operations as well as transport of state officials, Spanish military sources told ABC. The move would replace the government transport fleet with aircraft intended to serve both state and military missions.
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Transport Canada began a public review on Oct. 16, 2026, of proposed updates to the Air Canada–United Airlines joint venture. The other supplied reports concern separate route launches and market-access developments, so they do not establish further details about the consultation or the proposed changes.
Titan Airways has retired its only Airbus A330-300 converted freighter, according to ch-aviation. The report provides no further detail on the aircraft’s disposition or the carrier’s plans to replace its cargo capacity.
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