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Last week we reported that Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways had parked all five of its A330-200Fs at the end of 2017. At first glance, this did not significantly change the main-deck capacity offered by the Middle East’s four major carriers, because it came just after Saudia reactivated its four owned 777Fs – which had been parked for most of the year.

But a closer look at Saudia’s freighter fleet shows that parking the 777Fs was just one part of a
capacity-reduction program begun at the end of 2015, and their reactivation comes nowhere
close to replacing the capacity cut over the previous two years. Here is a timeline:
2015: Saudia cargo operated two owned 747-8Fs and four owned 777Fs. In addition, the
carrier ACMI-leased a total of eleven 747-400 freighters (mostly converted passenger
units) from Air Atlanta Icelandic and myCargo Airlines. A total of seventeen large
widebody freighters.
Year-end 2015: At the close of the year, Saudia returned three of its ACMI-leased 747-
400 freighters to the lessors, reducing its fleet from seventeen to fourteen freighters.
2016: For most of 2016, Saudia’s freighter fleet stayed relatively unchanged. One 747 freighter was returned to the Air Atlanta, but this was replaced with one leased from
myCargo.
Year-end 2016: In December, Saudia parked one of its 777Fs, the beginning of the real capacity cutting.
2017: The year just ended saw major changes to the Saudia freighter fleet. The carrier parked its remaining 777Fs, both of its 747-8Fs, and returned two leased 747-400
freighters to Air Atlanta. In addition, it stopped operating two 747-400ERFs leased from myCargo – these two appear to remain on lease, but have not flown for some time.
Year-end 2017: At the end of the third quarter of 2017, Saudia Cargo operated just six freighters – all 747-400s ACMI leased from Air Atlanta and myCargo. But in October it
began bringing the parked 777Fs back into service.
2018: As we write this in late January 2018, Saudia has reactivated all four of its 777Fs, and now operates a total of ten freighters.
So, yes, the return to service of Saudia’s four 777Fs nicely balances the parking of Etihad’s five A330-200Fs, but Saudia’s freighter fleet has shrunk considerably over the last two
years.

Saudia Cargo reactivates four 777Fs | Cargo Facts