Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) and Atlas Air Worldwide have extended their partnership for operating Boeing 747 freighters on transpacific routes.
Under the Air Transportation Services Agreement (ATSA), Atlas Air will operate five 747-400F aircraft on a crew, maintenance, and insurance (CMI) basis for NCA.
“The extension of the current ATSA with transpacific operations between Asia and North America will boost international air cargo growth, including capital equipment for semiconductor and e-commerce needs, while meeting diverse customer transportation demands,” the partners stated.
Michael Steen, Chief Executive of Atlas Air Worldwide, commented, “We value our strategic, long-standing partnership with NCA. We are building on a strong, trusted relationship, established more than seven years ago, and are fully committed to continuing to contribute to its growing success.”
Hiroyuki Homma, President and Chief Executive of NCA, added, “We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration and leveraging the distinctive features of the Boeing 747 freighter to provide high-quality services prioritizing safety, ensuring continued trust from our customers.”
Initially, the partnership covered two of NCA’s 747-400s, but in 2019, three additional aircraft of this model were added when NCA decided to transition to a dedicated fleet of 747-8F aircraft after encountering maintenance issues with its -400s.
Currently, NCA operates a fleet of eight 747-8Fs and is in the process of being acquired by All Nippon Airways from its current owner, NYK. However, the deal has faced several delays and is now expected to be completed in July.