Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International) and Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma International) have both announced plans to introduce freighter-converted Next-Generation B737s into their respective fleets over the coming 5 years. Speaking during the recent Cargo Facts Aircraft Symposium held in Seattle, USA, last week, Ethiopian Airlines Cargo Managing Director, Asrat Begashaw, said that his division would operate three B737-800(F)s come 2018 in addition to an anticipated long-haul fleet of eleven B777-Fs and three B767-300Fs. At present, Ethiopian Cargo's sole short-haul freighter, a B737-400(F), ET-AQV (msn 28493), is in service with the freight division of its West African subsidiary, ASKY Airlines (KP, Lomé). Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines' Managing Director for Financial Planning & Analysis, Torque Zubeck, said his carrier plans to replace its single B737-400(F) and five B737-400(M)s, used on Alaskan as well as mainland US flights, with B737 NextGen Freighters. Though no specific timeframe for their retirement was outlined, Mr Zubeck did say Alaska wanted to end B737-400 passenger operations by 2017.