Aloha Air Cargo

Aloha Air Cargo
IATA
KH		 ICAO
AAH		 Callsign
ALOHA
Founded July 26, 1946 (as Trans-Pacific Airlines)[1]
Commenced operations May 15, 2008 (Separation from now-defunct Aloha Airlines)
Hubs Honolulu International Airport
Subsidiaries Aloha Tech Ops
Fleet size 8 (5 active, 3 stored)
Destinations 5
Parent company Saltchuk Resources, Inc.
Headquarters Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Key people David Karp (President & CEO)
Patrick Rosa (COO)
Website http://www.AlohaAirCargo.com

Aloha Air Cargo is an American cargo airline headquartered in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii,[2][3] operating from a hub at Honolulu International Airport. Formerly part of Aloha Airlines, it became an independent cargo operator following the closure of the passenger airline in 2008.

History

Main article: Aloha Airlines

Aloha Airlines was formed in 1946 and expanded over the next few decades. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2004 an attempt to cut costs and remain competitive with other airlines serving Hawaii. Following approval of new labor contracts and securing additional investment from new investors, the airline emerged from bankruptcy protection on February 17, 2006. The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection again on March 20, 2008.[4] Ten days later, on March 30, 2008, Aloha Airlines announced the suspension of all scheduled passenger flights, with the final day of operation to be March 31, 2008.[5]

After the shutdown of passenger operations, Aloha and its creditors sought to auction off its profitable cargo and contract services division. Several companies expressed interest in purchasing Aloha's cargo division, including Seattle-based Saltchuk Resources, California-based Castle & Cooke Aviation, and Hawaii-based Kahala Capital (which included Richard Ing, a minority investor in the Aloha Air Group and member of Aloha's board of directors).[6] However, a disagreement between cargo division bidders and Aloha's primary lender, GMAC Commercial Finance, ended with the bidders dropping out of the auction.[7] Almost immediately afterwards, GMAC halted all funding to Aloha's cargo division, forcing all cargo operations to cease; at the same time, Aloha's board of directors decided to convert its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization filing into a Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.[7]

Aloha Air Cargo Boeing 737-200C.

Saltchuk Resources decided to renew its bid to purchase the cargo division at the urging of U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, and a deal between Aloha and Saltchuk was struck and approved by the federal bankruptcy court, where Saltchuk would purchase the cargo division for $10.5 million.[8] The sale was approved by federal Bankruptcy Judge Lloyd King on May 12, 2008, with the sale expected to close two days later.[9]

Prior to its bid for Aloha, Saltchuk Resources was already present in Hawaii through its subsidiaries Young Brothers/Hawaiian Tug & Barge, Hawaii Fuel Network, Maui Petroleum and Minit Stop Stores. The company also owns Northern Air Cargo, Alaska's largest cargo airline. A new subsidiary, Aeko Kula Inc., was set up by Saltchuk to operate Aloha Air Cargo.

On May 15, 2008 the airline received its FAA and Department of Transport authority to operate as an independent airline. The airline went through a big transformation in the first two years of operation. The airline's first president, Mike Malik, rebranded the airline; launched a host of new products and services; and established "Aloha Tech Ops", the MRO division. During this time the airline won numerous awards and was named Hawaii's Cargo Airline of the year for 2008.[10]

Destinations

United States

Hawaii

California

Aloha Air Cargo Locations & Maps

Fleet

As of June 2014, the Aloha Air Cargo fleet consisted of the following aircraft:[11]

Aloha Air Cargo Fleet
Aircraft Total Active Orders Cargo
Capacity		 Routes Notes
Boeing 737-200C 1[12] 0 30,000 lbs 16 to 18 Hawaii inter-island
cargo flights		 Former aircraft of Aloha Airlines,

4 stored[13]

Boeing 737-300F 2[14] 0 42,900 lbs Former aircraft of Lufthansa[15][16]
Boeing 767-300F 1 0 52.7 tonnes[17] 5 times a week Honolulu-Los Angeles Leased from ABX Air[18]
Saab 340 3 0 [19]

Incidents

See also

References

  1. ↑ Norwood, Tom; Wegg, John (2002). North American Airlines Handbook (3rd ed.). Sandpoint, ID: Airways International. p. 9. ISBN 0-9653993-8-9.
  2. ↑ "Honolulu CDP, HI." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 21, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Locations." Aloha Air Cargo. Retrieved on May 21, 2009.
  4. ↑ Blair, Chad (2008-03-20). "Aloha Airlines files for second bankruptcy in 3 years, blames go! for losses". Pacific Business News. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  5. ↑ McAvoy, Audrey (2008-03-30). "Aloha Airlines halting passenger service". BusinessWeek. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  6. ↑ Segal, Dave (2008-04-02). "Turbulent aftermath". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Segal, Dave (2008-04-29). "Bidders drop out and funding halts". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  8. ↑ Segal, Dave (2008-05-02). "Return flight". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  9. ↑ Segal, Dave (2008-05-13). "Court allows Seattle firm to buy Aloha’s cargo division". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  10. ↑ Segal, Dave (2008-05-15). "Aloha Air Cargo is 'official'". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
  11. ↑ Gomes, Andrew (2008-04-01). "Aloha's cargo unit still in business". The Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  12. ↑ http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Aloha%20Air%20Cargo-active-b737.htm
  13. ↑ http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Aloha%20Air%20Cargo-stored-b737.htm
  14. ↑ http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/morning_call/2014/07/aloha-air-cargo-adds-two-boeing-737-300-aircraft.html
  15. ↑ ALOHA AIR CARGO SELECTS AEI's B737-300SF 9 PALLET CONVERSION http://www.aviator.aero/press_releases/15783 Retrieved 2014-04-22
  16. ↑ Aloha Air Cargo B733 Orders http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Aloha%20Air%20Cargo-planed-b737.htm
  17. ↑ http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/767family/300f/300f_4.page
  18. ↑ http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/32329-aloha-air-cargo-leasing-an-abx-air-freighter-for-lax-flights
  19. ↑ Aloha Air Cargo Fleet of SF3 (Active) http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Aloha%20Air%20Cargo-active-sf3.htm
  20. ↑ http://avherald.com/h?article=47c0a371&opt=0

Bibliography

  • Forman, Peter (2005). Wings of Paradise: Hawaii's Incomparable Airlines. Kailua, HI: Barnstormer Books. ISBN 978-0-9701594-4-1.
  • Young, Branden (July–August 2006). "Aloha Airlines: Ready to Protect Their Beachfront in Paradise". Airliners: The World's Aviation Magazine (Airliners Publications). pp. 35–39.

External links

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