The Christmas peak season is fast approaching. Australia Post has added two new freighters to its fleet, giving it extra capacity and flexibility as Australia gears up for an e-commerce surge before the holiday season.
In partnership with Qantas, the new A321P2F freighters replace the last Boeing 737s, which made their final flights in August. The switch marks a move to larger, more fuel-efficient Airbus models.
Why does this matter? The new freighters will provide more flexibility and capacity for the company’s fleet, offering a sustainable, long-term solution to meet the growing customer demand from e-commerce.
Australia Post’s new freighters: Key Highlights
The timing couldn’t be better for the new additions. The launch coincides with Australia Post’s latest Inside Australian Online Shopping Report, showing Australians are gearing up for major sales events in the biggest online retail season.
- New routes and destinations: The A321 freighters will fly between the east coast, Perth, Tasmania, and Cairns.
- High parcel capacity: Each freighter can carry around 21,000 parcels per night, supporting services like Express Post, Parcel Post, and StarTrack premium.
The Australian Online Shopping Report predicts that Major and Discount Stores will see the biggest sales jump during the Black Friday period, with a 142% increase. Athleisure is expected to rise by 138%, Fashion Accessories by 133%, Sporting & Outdoor by 130%, and Women’s Fashion by 120%.
Australia Post general manager premium services and international, Mark Davies says: “Last year, we delivered almost 100 million parcels in the lead up to Christmas, and we expect similar volumes this year especially as demand surges during upcoming key sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”
Australia’s supply chain
Earlier this year, Asendia’s e-commerce market watch 2024 showed Australia’s e-commerce market is booming, and the market is taking sustainability to heart.
Asendia offers a range of international e-commerce and mail delivery services. The company services fashion, apparel, health and beauty, marketplaces, and food and supplements. Key destinations for e-tailers include Asia, Europe, the USA, and Canada.
The report highlighted the strong adoption of online shopping among Australians. It also notes that Australian consumers’ confidence in online shopping solutions makes the country a highly attractive e-commerce market.
Igor Kwiatkowski, executive manager Qantas Freight says these aircraft play a vital role in Australia’s supply chain.
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Photo Credit: Australia Post
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About the author
Sharl is a qualified journalist. He has over 10 years’ experience in the media industry, including positions as an editor of a magazine and Business Editor of a daily newspaper. Sharl also has experience in logistics specifically operations, where he worked with global food aid organisations distributing food into Africa. Sharl enjoys writing business stories and human interest pieces.
