BBAM is to lease two Airbus A321 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) aircraft on long-term leases to Lufthansa Cargo.

Lufthansa Cargo said the aircraft would allow for fast intra-European connections with a particular focus on e-commerce. The company noted customers’ growing demand for same-day solutions and said the A321P2F could transport more than 28t of gross payload per flight – “significantly larger cargo volumes than in the short-haul bellies of passenger aircraft”.

Lufthansa CityLine will operate the two aircraft on behalf of Lufthansa Cargo. They will be stationed in Frankfurt.

“Partnering with BBAM on these converted freighters gives the former passenger aircraft a second life and enables us to offer our customers the much-needed additional capacity in Europe,” said Lufthansa Cargo’s CEO Dorothea von Boxberg. “The A321P2F offers unique benefits, including increased cargo capacity, best-in-class economics, reduced weight, and a lower carbon footprint, providing us with a great deal of flexibility in managing freight.”

BBAM’s president and chief executive officer Steve Zissis commented: “We are glad to provide Lufthansa Cargo with a new tool to help maximise its cargo operations. We see new life for our A321s as converted freighters that are highly efficient and offer many benefits for cargo operations. BBAM has become a leader in the converted freighter market as we look to offer our airline clients and investors with a new solution to maximise value.”