Aeroflot drops DC-10 orders

High fuel prices have caused Aeroflot Cargo to drop its plans to add two more DC-10 freighters to its present longhaul fleet of four.

The additional two had been intended as an interim measure, ahead of the scheduled arrival of the first of six leased MD-11Fs in mid2007 (IFW, 16 October).

Aeroflot Cargo CEO Andrey Goryashko said: "The fuel situation has changed the economics of operating DC-10Fs." Plans to acquire four smaller Tupolev 204 freighters to develop intra-Russian hub operations have also changed.

"The lead times for delivery were very long so to expedite the process, we have decided to go for four B737-300Fs – there are plenty of those available for lease, " said Goryashko.

The Russian operator, which recently became a whollyowned subsidiary company of parent airline Aeroflot, last week received its own air operator's certificate (AOC).

The process had been delayed because a couple of aircraft accidents earlier this year had caused a tightening of airline regulations in Russia.

Interesting that they would also drop the Tupolev's for a Boeing product.