One Air commences 747F operations at East Midlands Airport
05 / 04 / 2024
Photo: One Air
British cargo airline One Air has commenced 747-400 freighter operations at East Midlands Airport (EMA) in the UK.
One Air’s first 747-400F flight into East Midlands arrived from Hong Kong at the weekend with a 105-tonne payload.
The central UK airport will now be a regular origin and destination point for One Air’s Boeing 747-400F services connecting Asia and Europe as well as for ad hoc global charter services.
“East Midlands Airport has a lot of important plus points which make it attractive for all-cargo operations, including the availability of slots and fewer restrictions around night flying compared to other airports,” said Chris Hope, One Air’s chief operating officer.
“EMA also has a very understanding and progressive attitude towards freighter operators. As a growing British airline, we look forward to establishing our presence at EMA and supporting our freight forwarding, logistics and charter clients moving goods to and from the UK.”
Heathrow-airport hubbed One Air launched in April last year with a leased 747-400 freighter after being awarded its Air Operators’ Certificate by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Then in July 2023, the freighter operator carried out its inaugural flight, a charter operation for client Shandong Glory between the UK and Jinan-Shandong.
Following this, in December last year, the carrier added a second 747-400F, acquired on a long-term lease. The airline said at the time that it planned to add a third 747-400F to its operations in 2024.
The company has been flying charters between Europe and China/Hong Kong on behalf of freight forwarders and charter broker customers since its launch.
As of late last year, the airline said it was hoping to expand its flights to Hong Kong into a daily operation and was working to achieve a licence for long-term operations to China.
In May 2023, the freighter operator also filed an application with the US Department of Transportation to operate cargo charter flights between the US and UK.
The carrier was subsequently awarded a two-year operating permit by the US Department of Transportation.
EMA offers one-stop connections to 185 of the world’s largest cities, including New York, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris, and Mumbai, and features an express airfreight hub.
The airport handles the equivalent of more than one million packages every night, and its cargo operation provides support to regional businesses, including those in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and automotive sectors.
EMA’s commercial director Chris Lane commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome One Air to East Midlands Airport. They bolster what is already a highly successful, nationally significant cargo operation which benefits from a strategic central location, fewer restrictions than many other airports, and a team who are totally dedicated to providing a top-class service.
“We hope this is the start of a long-standing partnership with One Air to help us continue to provide seamless trade that powers the UK.”
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