Silk Way West Airlines on Tuesday received its first factory-built 777 freighter from Boeing at its base in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking the 11-year-old company’s next expansion phase.

Silk Way West’s fleet consists of seven Boeing 747-400 and five modern 747-8 freighters. The airline has four more 777s and two next-generation 777-8 freighters on order from Boeing that will be delivered over the next seven years. Another 777 is scheduled for delivery next month. The airline also placed an order last year with Airbus for two all-new Airbus A350 freighters, which won’t be ready until 2027 and 2028.

Silk Way West said the 777 offers extended range that will allow it to add new destinations with more direct connections through its hub at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku. 

“This expansion of the fleet will open up opportunities for Silk Way West Airlines to boost the volume of flights and extend our reach to additional strategic destinations, reflecting the growing importance of our home base of Baku as a regional and global transportation hub,” said Fadi Nahas, vice president of the Americas, in a statement.

The 777 freighter has a range of 5,700 miles and a maximum designed payload of 236,000 pounds, which allows the plane to make fewer stops and save on landing fees on long-haul routes. 

Silk Way West operates approximately 350 monthly scheduled flights to 40 destinations around the world. 

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Twitter: @ericreports / LinkedIn: Eric Kulisch / [email protected]

RELATED NEWS:

Silk Way West, Alaska Airlines sign Boeing freighter deals