More airlines are converting passenger jets into freighters, a move driven by increased airfreight demand, the comparably higher cost of buying a new freighter and rising world trade. @FAXTEXT= The world air cargo market grew at 5.1 per cent between October 2006-2007, and is expected to triple by 2025 with the highest growth rate of 6.9 per cent, according to Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president of sales for commercial airplanes. @FAXTEXT= Air cargo in Asia will continue to grow and will be the largest base "with intra-Asia cargo growing at 8.6 per cent and that of Asia-North America at 7.1 per cent," he was cited as saying in a Mumbai Express Travelworld report@FAXTEXT= Statistics from the US aircraft manufacturer indicate that by 2026, there will be as many as 3,980 freighters in service globally from 1,980 freighters in 2006. Meanwhile, the number of passenger aircraft will rise from 18,230 in 2006 to 36,420 in 2026.@FAXTEXT= "Three per cent of aircraft would be freighters and the conversion market will be big between 2007 and 2026. Out of a total of 3,350 units, 2,480 aircraft would be converted to freighters, while only 870 units would be new," Mr Keskar said. @FAXTEXT= "Take India, one of the world's fastest expanding economies, this Asian nation currently has a total freighter fleet of 12 aircraft. Figures indicate that international air cargo to and from India has grown at the rate of 9.9 per cent over the last five years, with cargo traffic to the Middle East and rest of Asia expected to be important markets for India in future," he said.
"Domestic Indian air cargo traffic will expand from 9.1 per cent to about 10 per cent in a year with private carriers leading because of the cargo belly. However, with 111 aircraft ordered by Air India, it will be interesting to see how it unfolds," he said.
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