Australia Post has increased the capacity of its fleet to meet the demand for e-commerce.

The freshly converted Airbus A330-200P2F (passenger to freighter) aircraft will first fly between Perth on Australia’s west coast and the east coast, transporting SmartTrack and Express Post packages. It will be operated in conjunction with Qantas Freight.

According to Australia Post, it will boost the network’s overall peak capacity by 29 percent.

The carrier said the new freighter will provide “critical capacity and flexibility to support growing eCommerce demands during the busy peak Christmas period”.

Additionally, the new freighter will reduce Australia Post’s aircraft emissions by replacing a Boeing 737 freighter which will be retired from the fleet.

“Producing 42 percent less carbon emissions per kilogram of cargo than the 737F, the extensive capacity of the A330 requires less fuel for each parcel carried,” said Australia Post.

Paul Graham, chief executive officer and managing director of Australia Post, underlined the importance of the new freighter and its role in the company’s delivery system.

“Our new A330 freighter increases our freighter fleet’s flexibility and provides a long-term, sustainable solution to meet rising customer demand brought on by e-commerce, “says the company.

This new freighter also strengthens our enduring relationship with Qantas Freight, which manages our current fleet of freighters.

“The new A330 directly increases our freighter capacity during our busiest season, putting us in a strong position to handle the predicted rise in business over the Christmas season and the online sales period.

“Notably, the A330 allows us to further simplify and streamline our services while delivering on our commitment to a more sustainable future. The additional capacity of this aircraft allows us to reduce the number of aircraft we have in the air by operating on our largest volume sectors, in turn reducing our carbon footprint and supporting fast and reliable deliveries for our customers.”

Through its air services partner Qantas Freight, Australia Post operates a fleet of 14 specific freighter aircraft.

Australia Post transported more over 9 million kilogrammes of freight in December 2022 using both dedicated freighters and passenger flying aircraft belly holds.