Russia’s Atran to double B737-800(BCF) fleet

Atran (V8, Moscow Vnukovo) has dry-leased two more B737-800(BCF)s from GECAS, adding the pair already delivered to the Russian cargo specialist in 2018 and 2019. VQ-BFR (msn 33548), the first of the two newly contracted jets, underwent conversion at Jinan before heading to Ostrava for pre-delivery repainting over the course of May 9-10, 2021. It was subsequently delivered to Moscow Vnukovo on May 20, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. The other aircraft, VQ-BFX (msn 33717), remains at Jinan airport and will be delivered to Atran by month-end, GECAS said. Both aircraft are over 18 years old and operated for Ryanair (FR, Dublin Int’l) in a passenger configuration until 2020 when they were retired ahead of P2F conversion, the ch-aviation fleets history module shows. Besides the other two B737-800(BCF)s, also on lease from GECAS, Atran also operates three B737-400(F)s (two leased from Vx Capital Partners and one from SberLeasing). The airline is a narrowbody subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr Group, a holding which also owns three widebody freighter operators (AirBridgeCargo, Volga-Dnepr Airlines, and CargoLogicAir), as well as a German narrowbody unit CargoLogic Germany. Atran specialises in short- and medium-haul routes linking Europe, China, Russia, and the CIS.