UPS Airlines has contracted Boeing to convert three passenger 767s to 767 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCFs) and plans to have them in the fleet next year.

"These aircraft, as well as the fourteen 747-8s announced last October, are all additions to the fleet to meet customer demand,” a UPS spokesman told AIN.

Boeing forecasts a need for 400 widebody conversions over the next two decades, with strong demand for 767 freighter conversions due to a rise in the e-commerce—Amazon’s Prime Air operation uses them—and express markets. 

UPS has bought the three aircraft that will be converted, but would not disclose the source.

UPS was the launch customer for the 767 production freighter and has 59 of them. Its 236-aircraft fleet also includes two 747-400BCFs. It has 17 aircraft on order: the 747-8s and the 767BCFs.