Atlas Air begins 767 flights for DHL Express in North America
US firm Atlas Air has now begun a long-term contract to operate five aircraft on behalf of DHL Express in North America. The agreement will see the global airfreight specialists providing crews to operate Boeing 767-200 aircraft owned by DHL, on routes to and from its Cincinnati hub.
The first of the aircraft started services this month, the company said, with expectations that all five will be operational by the third quarter of 2012.
Atlas Air said today it was expecting the crew, maintenance and insurance (CMI) contract to involve 130-150 hours of flight time per aircraft per month.
William Flynn, the president and chief executive officer at Atlas Air Worldwide, said: “Customers like DHL recognise that our technical expertise, global scope and scale of operations, and deep industry knowledge can greatly assist then in their own operations.”
The company also works with DHL via its Polar Air Cargo Worldwide subsidiary, providing time-definite services via Boeing 747-400 freighters since October 2008, mainly in trans-Pacific trade routes.
Flynn said expanding his company’s relationship with DHL was a “milestone event” for Atlas Air, as well as representing growth into a new type of aircraft beyond its core fleet of 747s.
DHL Express is currently in the process of expanding its air hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG) Airport, anticipating significant growth in its international volumes in the medium and long term.
