Boeing on Thursday delivered the first 747-8 Freighter to Atlas Air, which will operate the new hauler—and four more—on behalf of British Airways World Cargo through a five year wet lease agreement.
The first British Airways World Cargo/Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 Freighter (G-GSSD). (Photo by Boeing)
“We have been looking forward to the delivery of our first 747-8F for a long time, and we are delighted that it is going into service with our valued, long-standing customer, British Airways World Cargo,” said William J. Flynn, president and chief executive officer of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc in a statement.
Three of the freighters will be flown by Global Supply Systems, a subsidiary of Atlas Air Holdings, to cargo hubs in Asia, Africa, India and the United States, said the company.
“The addition of the 747-8 Freighter to the fleet is an important step in our overall long-haul business strategy,” said Jude Winstanley, senior vice president for IAG Cargo, comprised of BA World Cargo and Iberia Cargo. “The 747-8 Freighter provides us market-leading performance in terms of payload, fuel efficiency, low tonne-kilometer cost and environmental compliance.”
