Air Atlanta Icelandic

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Air Atlanta Icelandic

IATA CC	ICAO ABD	Callsign Atlanta
Founded		1986
Hubs		N/A
Fleet size		~30
Destinations		N/A
Parent company		Eimskip
Headquarters		Reykjavík, Iceland
Key people		Mr. Hannes Hilmarsson CEO
Website: http://www.airatlanta.is

Air Atlanta Icelandic is an airline of the Avion Group, based in Reykjavík, Iceland. It leases wide-bodied aircraft on an ACMI (Aircraft, Crews, Maintenance, Insurance) basis to airlines needing extra passenger and cargo capacity. Its prime aircraft are Boeing 747 and Airbus A300-600R Freighter, 25 aircraft are in their fleet. Air Atlanta Icelandic operates from multiple bases around the world. .

1 Code Data
2 History
3 Services
4 Fleet
5 External links
6 References

[edit] Code Data

IATA Code: CC
ICAO Code: ABD
Callsign: Atlanta ^[1]

[edit] History

Air Atlanta Cargo Boeing 747-200

The airline was established on 10 February 1986 by Captain Arngrimur Johannsson (Chairman of the company) and his wife, Thora Gudmundsdottir. Their first contract came when Caribbean Airways wet-leased a Douglas DC-8 from them for their London to Barbados flights. In 1988, the airline leased planes for Air Afrique to be used during the hajj pilmigrage trips. This would become an important part of the structure of Air Atlanta later on.

Sudan Airways and Lufthansa were among the other airlines that benefited from leasing passenger airplanes from Air Atlanta Icelandic during the late 1980s, as well as Finnair, which leased a Boeing 737 from the Icelandic company.

It was in 1992 that Air Atlanta Icelandic was able to take passengers to the sky with their own airline operation. Their first flight was done on a Lockheed L-1011 plane. Later in 1992, Air Atlanta Icelandic participated in the United Nations peacekeepers airlifting, flying the UN representants from former Yugoslavia to Nigeria and France.

In 1993, the Boeing 747 arrived, and Saudi Arabian Airlines became one of the first airlines to lease that plane from Air Atlanta Icelandic, also for hajj flights. And, after signing a contract with Samvinn Travel, Air Atlanta Icelandic began operating domestic charter flights too. Later, in 1993, a flight from Phnom Penh to Bangkok was launched, using a Boeing 737.

By 1994, Air Atlanta Icelandic had obtained rights to operate service from many other international countries, including the United States, from where they had a flight to Colombia, and the Philippines, where they were allowed to operate domestic charter flights. About that time, they began to offer flights within Europe for free and began service to Portugal.

In 1996 a couple rented an Air Atlanta Icelandic L-1011 to have a sky-wedding. The couple and their wedding guests were treated to a flight over the arctic circle, while the wedding was performed inside the jet.

1997 saw the arrival of contracts with such airlines as Britannia Airways and Iberia, which would use an Air Atlanta Icelandic plane for its routes from Barajas International Airport in Madrid to Jose Marti International Airport in Havana and to other points in the Caribbean. That year also saw the arrival of the airline's first Boeing 747SP plane, which would later be utilized by government officials, sports teams and The Rolling Stones, among others.

In 1998, Air Atlanta Icelandic leased planes for British Airways, and in 1999 Magnus G. Thorstenn was named the company's new CEO. In '99 also, the airline became a fully wide bodied airplane airline, when they sold the last of their Boeing 737's. In year 2000, Air India joined the growing list of other airlines that have leased airplanes from Air Atlanta Icelandic airlines.

Air Atlanta Icelandic still leases their jets to a number of airlines, while providing their own airline flights, taking passengers to such places as Puerto Rico, Kenya, Cuba, Barcelona and the rest of Europe on charter flights. Model airplane wise, Air Atlanta Icelandic has Schabak and Flight Miniatures under contract to produce those types of promotional items for the airline/leaser company.

In 2003 Air Atlanta Icelandic expanded into the UK with their subsidiary, Air Atlanta Europe who operate 747's ad-hoc, charter and for Florida tour operator, Travel City Direct.

In March 2004 the company acquired a 40.5% stake in the UK charter airline Excel Airways, later increased to 76.9%.

In January 2005 The Avion Group was formed and Air Atlanta Icelandic and Islandflug merged under the Air Atlanta Icelandic brand name.

In 2005 The Avion Group acquired Eimskip, a leading Icelandic sea transportation company and a UK holiday company, Travel City Direct.

In 2006 The Avion Group announced the purchase of the entire issued share capital of French charter airline Star Airlines, the second largest charter airline in the French market. Star Airlines operates charter flights mainly to destinations in Africa, The Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Star Airlines operates scheduled flights, in addition to charter services to the Lebanon, Mali and Mexico.

In 2006 The Avion Group sold XL Leisure Group thus shifting it focus to cargo operations. With that it also changed its name to HF Eimskipafélag Íslands.