Atlas Air to add third 747-400F to Asiana Cargo ops

In a statement today announcing widebody freighter ops for several customers, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings said its Atlas Air, Inc. subsidiary will begin flying a third 747-400F on behalf of Asiana Cargo, the cargo arm of South Korean carrier Asiana Airlines.

This is the third 747-400F Atlas has added for the carrier in as many years, following an initial trans-Pacific ACMI deal between Atlas and Asia made in February 2017 and a second, similar deal inked in September 2018. In addition to the Atlas-operated 747-400Fs, Asiana Cargo’s fleet includes seven 747-400BDSFs, four 747-400Fs, and one 767-300ERF.

Regarding the source of the 747-400F to operate for Asiana, Atlas is removing two 747-400Fs from its operations for DHL Express following the beginning of its CMI service through its Southern Air affiliate carrier using DHL-owned 777Fs. Atlas said those two aircraft “will begin flying for other Atlas customers.”

Turning to the future of Asiana Cargo’s operations, a story dated 3 June from The Korea Bizwire noted Asiana Airlines’ parent company, Kumho Asiana Group, plans to sell a 33.5% stake in the carrier this year as part of its restructuring plan. Korean Air Lines Chairman Cho Won-tae said Korean Air is “looking at the deal,” which would make the combined entity the largest full-service airline in Korea. For its part, Korean Air operates more than twenty widebody freighters, including four 747-400ERFs, seven 747-8Fs, and twelve 777-200Fs.