UPS takes delivery of its 25th 747

Boeing delivered UPS Airline’s 25th 747 production freighter Thursday, and the cargo operator said Boeing employees can take pride in knowing that their work helped it soar to a successful second quarter.

“Our 747 fleet was instrumental in safely, reliably and cost-effectively flying volume from growth markets in Asia in support of our fantastic second quarter,” said Brendan Canavan, UPS Airlines president.

The 747-8 and 747-400 make up 11% of UPS’ mostly Boeing fleet, giving the air cargo giant the capacity to transport record high volumes of freight using fewer flights. One 747-8 Freighter can carry more than 30,000 packages a range of 4,300 nautical miles.

UPS has experienced unprecedented demand due to COVID-19-related supply shipments as well as peaks in e-commerce sparked by pandemic lockdowns. Like many freight operators in this environment, its fleet is working at full capacity.

“We’re doing everything we can to support our customers and deliver the quality they expect from Boeing to help them be successful,” said Kim Smith, 747/767 vice president and general manager. “The work we’re doing to keep the production system healthy and focused on safety and quality will be consistent to the finish.”

By Davis Wahlman