One Air to double freighter fleet by end of 2025
Celebrates one year of operations, connects 28 global airports
British cargo airline One Air connected 28 global airports in its first year of operations, carrying over 17,000 tonnes of cargo, and is now preparing to embark on the next phase of its fleet expansion with a third Boeing 747-400F entering service by the end of August.
One Air operated its inaugural flight on July 24, 2023, carrying a 100-tonne payload from Jinan-Shandong in eastern China to London Heathrow, says an official release. "Since then, it has been providing regular weekly full charter capacity linking Asia and Europe as well as performing ad-hoc global charter services."
One Air’s first year of operations saw the addition of a second B747-400F to its fleet in November to support growing demand for cargo capacity ex-China and Hong Kong to Europe, and its decision to make East Midlands Airport a regular origin and destination point in the U.K. Establishing a base at East Midlands has enabled One Air to benefit from easier slot availability and fewer restrictions around night flying compared to other airports, the release added.
"The first year of operations for a new airline can be a voyage of discovery," says Chris Hope, Chief Operating Officer, One Air. "I am delighted to say that at One Air, our first 12 months have seen steady growth as we lay the foundations for our long-term ambitions. We greatly appreciate our global sales agency partner, Air One Aviation, for driving demand, and the freight forwarders, charter brokers and logistics providers for their trust in us as a new airline. The arrival of our third aircraft in August will expand our offerings, and by the end of 2025, we hope to have doubled our fleet based on promising growth opportunities."
Starting with an initial team of six people, One Air now employs over 115 professionals, including pilots who have joined from a host of other global airlines, the release added.
