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One Air is set to be the only airline in the UK with a Boeing 747-400 fleet as the UK regulators grant an air operator’s certificate to a start-up freight carrier.
One Air after successfully completing its proving flight in July 2022 and following a rigorous application process for an operating license has been granted an AOC by the UK civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The new airline is dry-leasing an initial 747-400 converted freighter and aims to take a second by the end of this year. The company is also intending to evaluate other aircraft types.
The airlines will keep its focus on flights between the UK and European, Middle Eastern and Asian destinations but subsequently expand to Chinese and US services.
Originally, one Air’s first aircraft is a Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered jet (G-UNET) which in 1991 was delivered to Air Canada and used by companies including Air China Cargo, Honeywell International, Turkey’s ACT Air and Moldova’s Aerotranscargo.
“The important role freighter services played in supporting the UK economy and the public throughout the pandemic demonstrated the level of demand which exists for a British cargo airline. The carrier has sufficient financial resources to “grow in line with the level of demand we see.[We] have the opportunity to leverage long-standing business relationships with freight forwarders, logistics providers, and charter brokers serving the UK market ”
Paul Bennett, Chief executive and majority owner, One Air
Chris Hope, formerly with EasyJet and Flybe has been appointed as the Chief operating officer of One Air. The new airline has also named Jon Hartley as chief financial officer, and appointed David Tattersall as chief technical officer.
“Over the past two years, the cargo market in the UK has clearly shown resilience in the face of unprecedented disruption to the aviation industry,” says Hope.
One Air has a workforce of 90 supporting the airline’s operations, maintenance, and training, and some 40 pilots.
