Air China Cargo nears final A330-200P2F redelivery

Air China Cargo is close to integrating the eighth and final A330-200P2F conversion into its fleet, completing a deal with EFW that saw the Chinese carrier enter the Airbus medium-widebody freighter segment.

The 2006-vintage, Trent 700-powered aircraft (750) appears to have rolled out of the AMECO facility in Chengdu (CTU) after finishing conversion and will likely conduct a test flight soon, based on a photo of the aircraft seen by Cargo Facts.

Air China Cargo has used its A330-200P2Fs to expand in Europe. (Photo/Cargo Facts)

Unit 750 has been at CTU since June 2024, when Air China Cargo parent Air China removed it from passenger service.

Air China expands with Airbus freighters

The freighter will join seven other A330-200P2Fs (860, 867, 873, 884, 890, 903 and 909) that Air China Cargo bought from Air China and converted with EFW at AMECO as part of a 2023 deal. Those seven other units, all younger than unit 750, entered service in 2024 and 2025.

A new platform for Air China Cargo, the Airbus medium widebodies have enabled the carrier to expand its network from CTU to Europe and the Middle East, flying to cities like Glasgow (PIK), Stockholm (ARN), Liege (LGG), Amsterdam (AMS) and Dubai (DWC).

Air China Cargo also operates three production 747-400Fs and thirteen 777Fs but is set to grow its Airbus footprint further after ordering six A350Fs along with options for four more in November.

China’s growing A330P2F fleet

Meanwhile, another A330-200P2F is on the cusp of entering service with a different Chinese carrier.

Unit 780 — also 2006-vintage and also previously in Air China’s passenger fleet — carried out its first post-conversion flight in Dresden (DRS) in late November after arriving there in February.

Cargo Facts believes unit 780 belongs to Airbus and will join Capital Airlines for CMI operation on behalf of Jiangxi Cargo Airlines, like three other A330P2Fs before it.

Air China Cargo is now the second-largest operator of A330 conversions in China, where there are twenty-four units across five carriers:

• JD Airlines is the newest carrier with A330P2Fs, having taken delivery last month of the first of two A330-200P2Fs;

• Air Hong Kong is the largest operator with ten A330-300P2Fs in CMI service for DHL;

• Sichuan Airlines has two A330-300P2Fs;

• Capital Airlines operates one A330-300P2F and two A330-200P2Fs for Jiangxi Cargo; and

• Air China Cargo has eight A330-200P2Fs.

  
  

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