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| Founded | 1986 | |||
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| Hubs | Keflavík International Airport | |||
| Fleet size | 14 | |||
| Destinations | 6 | |||
| Headquarters | Kópavogur, Iceland | |||
| Key people | Hannes Hilmarsson, CEO | |||
| Website | airatlanta.is | |||
Air Atlanta Icelandic is a charter and cargo airline based in Kópavogur, Iceland.[1] It specialises in leasing aircraft on an ACMI (Aircraft, Crews, Maintenance, Insurance)/wet lease basis to airlines worldwide needing extra passenger and cargo capacity. It also operates charter services for Icelandic tour operators. In mid 2007 the airline decided to shift its focus to air cargo operations. Its main base is Keflavík International Airport.[2]
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The airline was established on 10 February 1986 by Captain Arngrimur Johannsson and his wife, Thora Gudmundsdottir. It started operations in 1986.[2] Their first contract came when Caribbean Airways wet-leased a Boeing 707-320 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 with 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 José Martí 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 1999 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.
In 2003 Air Atlanta Icelandic expanded into the United Kingdom with their subsidiary, Air Atlanta Europe who operated Boeing 747's ad-hoc, charter and for the Florida tour operator, Travel City Direct.[3]
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.[2]
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 June 2006, Air Atlanta Icelandic wet-leased one B747-200 to Yangtze River Express to operate cargo freight between Shanghai - Anchorage - Los Angeles.
In October 2006 the Avion Group changed its name to HF Eimskipafélag Íslands and at the same time sold UK Leisure Group Excel, as well as 51% of Avion Aircraft Trading.[2] A decision was also made to merge both Excel Airways and Air Atlanta Europe into one airline. This was completed by October 2006.
In mid 2007 the airline decided to shift its focus to Air Cargo operations. The airline is planning to move to freighter aircraft and has laid off most of their passenger aircraft aircrew.
On 25 March 2008, an Air Atlanta Icelandic B747-300 was destroyed after engine number 3 caught fire soon after landing.[4]
Britflights cancelled plans to operate flights from the UK to Canada from June 2011, citing fuel uncertainties.[5]
Air Atlanta Icelandic is operating two 747-400's for National Airlines (N8). One flies cargo charter flights, the other one is wet leased to Cargolux.
Air Atlanta Icelandic operates services to the following international scheduled destinations (at January 2010):
Canada extra contract has been cancelled as the UK caa regulations were not met by the canada extra operator. Air Atlanta will not be operating this contract.
Britflights had intended to utilise Air Atlanta aircraft for the 2011 season, but suspended their intended operations, their website citing rising uncertainties created by rising fuel prices.[5][6]
As of November 2011, the Air Atlanta Icelandic fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 25.1 years:[7]
| Aircraft | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300-600RF | 1 | |
| Boeing 747-200F | 7 | one aircraft stored |
| Boeing 747-300 | 2 | |
| Boeing 747-400BCF | 4 | |
| Total | 14 |
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