newstodate.aero

Jun 09, 2021 (newstodate): The Icelandic cargo/pax ACMI carrier Air Atlanta Icelandic expects to keep its focus on freighters, while the passenger market will remain in a limbo till 2022.
   -After a successful, but challenging turn-around of our company due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our emphasis is now fully on the cargo market; and we are happy to note that this has compensated for the shortfall of business in the passenger market, says Unndor Jonsson, Air Atlanta Icelandic VP Sales and Marketing.
   -The growth in the cargo market even allowed us to add two more Boeing 747 freighters - but we have reined in on our passenger aircraft fleet, now comprising only four Boeing 747 aircraft, occasionally used on all-cargo operations but otherwise put on long-term parking, while other aircraft were phased out for earlier retirement.
   -We are now seeing some airlines returning part of their passenger operations, and we will eventually see a softening of the cargo market. However, I do not foresee any major recovery in the passenger air travel market in 2021; this will probably not happen until summer 2022.
   -In the meantime we would indeed be prepared to add further freighters to our fleet - but no aircraft are up for sale in the market.
   -We have even reversed our earlier policy of going only for production freighters; today we would gladly consider acquiring also converted freighters if any suitable units would appear in the marketplace - which is unfortunately also not the case, says Mr Jonsson.
   As late as November 2020, Air Atlanta Icelandic's fleet still comprised nine Boeing 747-400 freighters and six Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft, as well as one A340-300.