A very unique Lufthansa Airbus A330-300 landed in Frankfurt yesterday afternoon, not so much because of the aircraft itself, but because of what was inside.
Lufthansa, like most airlines around the world, is facing dramatically reduced customer demand for commercial flights. At the same time, demand for cargo aircraft has remained steady and in some cases even grown.
In response, Lufthansa transformed the passenger cabin of one of its A330-300 into a second cargo deck, even utilizing the overhead bin space. Here’s what Lufthansa shared on Twitter:
Special mission for our „Kilo-India“ to Shanghai and back: normally the A330 flies mainly passengers. This one was an all-cargo plane. To get humanitarian goods where they are most needed at the moment. (1/2) #WeAreInThisTogether pic.twitter.com/CNYYUz0i0T
— Lufthansa News (@lufthansaNews) March 25, 2020
On the way home, it is fully loaded with around 30 tons of special cargo: protective equipment and medical supply. To fit in as much as possible, freight was securely stowed on the seats and in the overhead bins – in addition to the belly. (2/2) #WeAreInThisTogether pic.twitter.com/2XnG9yzXS1
— Lufthansa News (@lufthansaNews) March 25, 2020
The loaded A330, D-AIKI, still operating under its historic flight number for passenger service, LH728/729, brought back much-needed medical supplies from China to Germany.
images: Lufthansa
CONCLUSION
With airlines facing a continued drop in passenger demand, I suspect we will see more special missions like “Kilo-India” in the days ahead.
It’s a windfall boom for the Chinese medical supply industry. They just sold $400 million worth to Spain. But it won’t last, as there’s barely a single country in the world that will ever again get into a situation of relying on China so heavily for these goods.
A lot of stuff is sub standard i read. Doesn’t work.
Europe kind of deserves it. Kissing Chinese ass. They should have closed all flights from china early and decisively.
You deserve it as well,a**hole
What a waste of a premium seat. Could have sold it to a paying passenger.
And here I was expecting this “special” cargo was going to be caskets or just dead bodies in bags.
Look for that soon enough on the Florida-to-New York runs.