BelugaST Fleet Goes Belly-Up as Airbus Closes Cargo Airline

Weak demand and operational complexity prompt manufacturer to exit project cargo market.

Eric Kulisch

Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 01:57 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Airbus launched a specialty freighter division to haul whale-size loads, but the business proved expensive to operate and unable to attract customers. [Credit: Airbus]

Key Takeaways:

Airbus has shut down its for-hire cargo airline, Airbus Beluga Transport (AiBT), which utilized BelugaST superfreighters, citing operational challenges and weak demand for the specialized service.
The BelugaST aircraft proved uncompetitive for external charters due to a 44-ton payload limitation, complex loading procedures requiring specialized equipment, and less versatility compared to other heavy-lift freighters.
These operational difficulties and high charter costs resulted in only six external customer missions in 2024, preventing the service from being a competitive player in the outsize cargo market.
The closure exacerbates a shrinking global capacity for transporting oversized and heavy cargo, as the fleet of comparable ultralarge freighters like the Antonov An-124 is aging and diminishing.

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Airbus has shut down its new for-hire cargo airline focused on transporting oversize shipments using the odd-shaped Beluga superfreighter because of self-described operational challenges and what appears to be weak demand for the service.

The aerospace manufacturer last week terminated Airbus Beluga Transport (AiBT), the specialized airfreight business introduced int March for hauling outsize cargo, and suspended BelugaST flights, Airbus confirmed in a statement.