Air Algérie (AH, Algiers) has taken delivery of its maiden B737-700(C) following the arrival of 7T-VKS (msn 61340) in Algiers on May 26. The aircraft has since been deployed into revenue service on flights to Constantine locally and Madrid Barajas and Paris CDG regionally.
The Algerian national carrier's second of the type is expected to deliver from Boeing (BOE, Washington National) in September. Together, the two aircraft will form the basis of Air Algérie's nascent stand-alone cargo subsidiary which is set to be unveiled during the third quarter of this year.
The B737-700(C) is a derivative of the B737-700 and features strengthened wings, a main-deck cargo door, and an in-floor cargo-handling system thus enabling airlines to alternate between passenger and cargo layouts. In an all-passenger configuration, the B737-700(C) can carry up to 140 passengers, while the all-cargo layout provides up to 18,200 kilograms of capacity.
