20 February 2026
The unique design of our A340-600s is what makes us stand out from our competitors.
Following the pandemic, we upgraded our cargo operations and gave our fleet a comprehensive cargo makeover. Or, as we say in the official terminology, we took it through a passenger-to-freight configuration (P2F).
Typically, when passenger planes receive this type of conversion, all the internal areas are completely stripped back to create one large cargo hold and additional cargo doors are added. We took a different approach, keeping both the upper and lower decks and creating a bespoke system.
This article explains exactly how our unique configuration works, so you can better understand our operation.
The upper deck: From passengers to pods
The upper, passenger deck received the biggest transformation. We removed all the seats, overhead lockers and bulkheads to open up the entire space, and added in loading areas, or what we call “pods”.
Photo Credit: Stewart Marshall
These built-in “pods” are individual cargo modules designed to securely hold freight on long-range flights. Each pod is covered by a fire suppression bag and netting — if a fire did break out inside one of the pods, it can be contained for over 6 hours. This gives the crew plenty of time to divert and make a safe landing, whilst keeping the fire isolated in that single compartment.
For additional safety, we added a smoke detection system and another bulkhead separating the crew rest and galley area from the cargo.
There are 39 pods throughout the upper deck, and six different sizes can carry varying payload volumes and weights. The upper deck has a total volume of 237 cubic meters and a total capacity of around 40 tons. See the full configuration design here.
See it for yourself in this interview with our operations director:
The lower deck: a classic cargo setup
The lower deck holds cargo in the traditional airfreight pallet format, roughly a total of 175 cubic metres of cargo volume or 55 metric tons.
- Forward hold: up to 8 pallets or 30 metric tons
- Aft hold: up to 6 pallets or 22 metric tons
- Bulk hold: up to 3.5 metric tons of loose or non-containerised cargo
Photo Credit: Stewart Marshall
The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 368 tons, meaning it can carry up to 75 tons of air freight in various configurations and load plans. See the full configuration design here.
Loading and offloading: a specialist system
Upon arrival at its destination, offloading is highly coordinated. The team positions high loaders and belt loads at the holds to offload the palettes, whilst another team heads up to open all the pods, fold back the fireproof covers and prepare the cargo for transport.
All packages and cargo are rolled down the gangway on a specialist roller system and loaded into catering trucks. The offloading process takes roughly 2.5 hours.
Throughout the process, trucks shuttle the cargo to an airside cargo warehouse, where it’s sorted onto crates, loaded onto lorries, and dispatched to onward destinations.
When we are loading up the cargo, we do this process but in reverse. The cargo loading process takes no more than 4 hours. Our teams are highly trained and use a fixed loading pattern to ensure a protective, low-risk loading and offloading process for any type of goods.
Your cargo, our priority
Our operation pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a cargo airline. We are always innovating and finding new ways to tackle industry challenges – the P2F configuration was just the start.
If you’re looking for a long-term programme or an ad hoc flight, then get in touch for a bespoke load plan and quote.
