Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings’ president and CEO William Flynn has confirmed plans to integrate Southern Air and its sister airline, Florida West, under a single air operator’s certificate (AOC). The announcement comes just months after Atlas acquired the U.S.-based carriers in April this year.
Gaining a single AOC from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is expected to take between 12 and 18 months.
Merging the operations has proven a contentious issue, however, as matters including seniority and compensation have pitted pilots against management. Last month, pilots flying for Atlas Air, Southern Air, Polar Air, ABX and Kalitta voted in favor of authorizing their unions to call strike action – a move that Atlas maintains is illegal.
The Southern Air acquisition was an all-cash, debt-free transaction valued at approximately US$107.5 million. The deal allows Atlas to expand its platform into 777 and 737 operations.
Source: aircargoworld