Australia Post has added two Airbus A321 passenger to freighter (P2F) aircraft to its fleet to meet e-commerce demand in the peak air cargo season.
Operated in partnership with Qantas Freight, the A321P2Fs replace Boeing 737 freighters that took their final flights in August.
The newly converted A321 freighters will operate between the east coast, Perth, Tasmania and Cairns, each carrying around 21,000 parcels a night.
They will carry "over 70% more parcels" than the B737-300Fs, according to Australia Post.
Australia Post and Qantas Freight announced a seven-year airfreight agreement in 2019 that provided freighter and belly cargo capacity to support the growing demand for e-commerce parcels. Australia Post now has a fleet of 12 dedicated freighter aircraft operated by Qantas Freight.
Mark Davies, Australia Post general manager premium services and international, said the new freighters deliver increased flexibility and capacity within the fleet, creating a sustainable, long-term solution to meet growing customer demand driven by e-commerce.
"These freighters provide a direct boost to our freighter capacity during our busiest time of year, ensuring we are well placed to manage the increased volume expected across the cyber sales period and Christmas," stated Davies.
"Last year, we delivered almost 100m parcels in the lead up to Christmas and we expect similar volumes this year, especially as demand surges during upcoming key sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday."
Igor Kwiatkowski, executive manager, Qantas Freight, said: "These aircraft play a vital role in Australia's supply chain and by investing in new, more efficient aircraft, we can continue to grow our operations to support the strong demand for next-day delivery across Australia.
"The 737s were a key workhorse for decades but these newer Airbus A321P2F aircraft allow us to generate new levels of efficiency as well as significantly reduce emissions for freight movements."
In March, Australia Post announced it would build an A$50m parcel facility at Brisbane Airport Industrial Park, the largest project ever at the gateway. The facility is expected to open in early 2026.
https://www.aircargonews.net/1069257.article
https://www.aircargonews.net/airlines/freighter-operator/australia-post-adds-a330-freighter-to-support-e-commerce-demand/
