Bulgaria’s Cargo Air drops Boeing for AEI for B737-800(F)s

Citing conversion slot availability, Cargo Air (CGF, Sofia) has cancelled plans for two B737-800(BCF)s from Boeing and instead replaced them with two B737-800(SF)s from Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI). The Bulgarian cargo specialist committed to two B737-800(BCF)s in 2016 but postponed them to 2019 due to high feedstock prices at the time. “[Cargo Air] recently cancelled those agreements and signed up with AEI citing AEI’s responsiveness, slot flexibility, ease of doing business, and the intrinsic value the AEI B737-800SF provides as a better-priced option,” the Florida-based firm said in a press release. Cargo Air exclusively operates AEI-converted freighters, including three B737-300(F)s and seven B737-400(F)s. A further B737-400, N882AV (msn 28882), is currently undergoing conversion with AEI Conversion Center, Commercial Jet, at Dothan and is scheduled for redelivery in January 2021. The airline’s first B737-800, N364AV (msn 30664), is scheduled to enter conversion at Dothan airport in January 2021 and enter into service as a dedicated freighter in May 2021. Cargo Air has yet to acquire its second B737-800 for conversion.