Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma International) has entered into an agreement with Boeing to convert two of the carrier's B737-800s into freighters, with conversion work expected to begin in early 2023 and both to be aircraft operational as B737-800(BCF)s by early 2024.

While the airline did not identify the two aircraft, it said they would be leased from BBAM. The ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows that Alaska Airlines does not, at present, lease any B737-800s from the firm suggesting it may likely enter into a sales/lease-back transaction covering two of its 51 owned units of the type.

Alaska Airlines did not respond to ch-aviation's request for comment.

Both aircraft will be converted at the Cooperativa Autogestionaria de Servicios Aeroindustriales (COOPESA) facility at San José Juan Santamaría airport in Costa Rica.

The carrier said the two freighters would significantly expand its ability to serve Alaska as they will complement its existing fleet of three B737-700(BDSF)s.

"The B737-800 aircraft provides 40% more load space than our current 737-700 freighters, essentially doubling Air Cargo's total freighter lift capacity," said Adam Drouhard, managing director for Alaska Air Cargo.