British cargo airline One Air has completed its first commercial flight from the UK to the US, marking a key milestone in its regional growth strategy.
The airline announced the inaugural flight on January 24 via LinkedIn, celebrating the achievement: “Huge congratulations on completing our first commercial flight to the US last weekend!”
Global sales agency Air One confirmed the flight operated between East Midlands and New York, highlighting the swift delivery: “We transported cargo from East Midlands, UK, to New York, US, in just 24 hours—from booking to airport delivery.”
One Air currently operates three Boeing 747-400 freighters. However, flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows no recorded UK-US flights for these aircraft in the past week. Air Cargo News has reached out to One Air for further details.
The airline filed for US flight authorization in May 2023 and later secured a two-year operating permit from the US Department of Transportation. Originally based at Heathrow, One Air relocated its UK operations to East Midlands last year, citing better slot availability and fewer nighttime restrictions.
Since launching operations in July 2023, One Air has served destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In addition to ad hoc charter services, the airline runs a seven-times-weekly contract transporting general cargo from Hong Kong to Europe.
Expanding in Asia, One Air secured regulatory approval from China’s Civil Aviation Administration (CCAR-129) to operate in major Chinese airports, including Tianjin (TNA), Zhengzhou (CGO), and Hangzhou (HGH). It has also received operational approvals from aviation authorities in Japan and Malaysia.
Looking ahead, One Air plans to add a fourth freighter this year, with sources indicating potential acquisitions of two Boeing 777Fs.