By the end of the year, the cargo airline plans to add a second Boeing 747 Freighter.
A Boeing 747 operator is once more based in the United Kingdom. One Air, a newly established cargo carrier, has received its Air Operators’ Certificate from the UK Civil Aviation Authority and is preparing to fly its converted Boeing 747-400 freighter over Britain.
In July 2022, the brand-new British cargo airline successfully finished using the aircraft for testing flights. The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority informed Simple Flying this afternoon that its Operating Licence has now been completely approved to begin operations following a rigorous application procedure. Initial demand for flights from the UK to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia is anticipated by One Air. Offering cargo services to China and the US is the ultimate goal.
One Air: Who is He?
According to reports, One Air, which has its main office in Kingston, close to London Heathrow Airport, has dry leased its first Boeing 747-400 freighter from Aerotranscargo. One of the startup’s principal business partners is thought to be the Moldovian shipping enterprise. The airline’s business plan predicts that a second B747-400 will join the 31-year-old aircraft this year.
90 air cargo and aviation experts have now been assembled by One Air in preparation for its launch. The workforce consists of expertise in ground operations, engineering and maintenance, crew management, crew training, and finance. For its aircrew team, the corporation hired forty individuals, including pilots from Cathay Pacific, Emirates Airlines, and Norwegian Airlines. Paul Bennett, CEO of One Air, expressed his delight at the news:
The crucial function that freighter services performed in sustaining the UK economy and the general populace throughout the epidemic “demonstrated the magnitude of demand which exists for a British cargo airline. We are honored to be able to take advantage of our established connections with freight forwarders, logistics companies, and charter brokers who serve the UK market in order to address this demand.
Later this year, we plan to add a second 747F, and we have the financial capacity to expand in step with the degree of demand we observe.Later in the year, the airline will review its fleet plans, taking into account any potential additions of new aircraft types.
Where did the plane originate?
On July 24, 1991, the Boeing 747-400 made its inaugural flight. Before being converted to a freighter at the start of 2005, the aircraft served for Air Canada for 13 years with the registration C-GAGN. Prior to arriving at Aerotranscargo in 2020, the freighter was leased by a number of airlines, including Air China Cargo and Saudi Arabian Airlines (now Saudia).The sole Boeing 747 still in service in the UK is the one owned by One Air. Three more registered but non-flying units are reportedly present in the nation. The One Air freighter made two quick journeys to Shannon on Thursday, April 20th, and was last seen landing at Cardiff Airport in Wales.
Who comprises the One Air staff?
Chris Hope is also welcomed by the airline in his new roles as COO and Accountable Manager. Prior to now, Hope was in charge of managing the entire Gatwick easyJet operation. His duties included creating new AOCs in the UK and EU and planning for the UK’s exit from the European Union. Hope served as the Chief Operating Officer for Flybe for two years before to joining One Air. Hope predicts that the new airline will spur the creation of new jobs:
“I am thrilled to have been granted the chance to join the executive team of this innovative new enterprise. One Air has a forward-thinking, customer-focused strategy, and we’ll leverage our resourcefulness and entrepreneurial spirit to expand sustainably. Beginning with the 90 direct positions we are generating within our own organization and the countless other jobs we are establishing with our partners and suppliers, we will be supporting British businesses and the UK economy.
The UK’s cargo business has demonstrated resiliency in the past two years in the face of significant disruption to the aviation sector. We anticipate playing a key role in the industry’s upcoming new phase of recovery and expansion.David Tattersall is the airline’s chief technical officer, and Jon Hartley is its chief financial officer. Tattersall has held top executive positions at major airlines like British Airways, Brymon Airways, and Flybe, and Hartley has over 25 years of expertise in a variety of commercial industries.
