Cargo airline

Cargo airlines (or airfreight carriers, and derivatives ofArkansas, but moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1973
these names) are airlines dedicated to the transportafter Little Rock airport officials would not agree to
of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions orprovide facilities for the fledgling airline. The name
subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.was chosen to symbolize a national marketplace, and
Aircraft usedhelp in obtaining government contracts. The company
Larger cargo airlines tend to use new or recently builtofficially began operations on April 17, 1973, utilizing a
aircraft to carry their freight, but many use oldernetwork of 14 Dassault Falcon 20s which connected
aircraft, like the Boeing 707, Boeing 727, Douglas25 U.S. cities. FedEx, the first cargo airline that used
DC-8, Ilyushin Il-76. Examples of the 60-year-oldjet aircraft for its services, expanded greatly after
Douglas DC-3 are still flying around the world carryingthe deregulation of the cargo airlines sector. Federal
cargo (as well as passengers). Short range turbopropExpress use of the hub-spoke distribution paradigm in
airliners such as the Fokker Friendship and Britishair freight enabled it to become a world leader in its
Aerospace ATP are now being modified to acceptfield. The company operates much of its U.S.
standard air freight pallets to extend their workingovernight freight through its Memphis hub. Other U.S.
lives. This normally involves the replacement of glazedhubs are located in Indianapolis, Newark, Oakland,
windows with opaque panels, the strengthening ofAnchorage and Fort Worth, Texas. The Canadian hub
the cabin floor and insertion of a broad top-hingedoperates from Toronto Pearson International Airport.
door in one side of the fuselage.In August 1989 the company acquired Flying Tigers,
A number of cargo airlines carry a few passengersan international cargo airline. It inherited Flying Tigers's
from time to time on their flights, and UPS onceU.S. military transport contract and carried passengers
unsuccessfully tried a passenger charter airline division.between the continental United States and overseas
Notable cargo airlinesmilitary installations until October 1992. In January
Atlas Air (IATA: 5Y, ICAO: GTI, and Callsign: Giant) [1]1998 Federal Express acquired Caliber System, Inc,
is a cargo airline based in Purchase, New York, USA.which owned RPS, Roberts Express, Viking Freight
It operates scheduled freight flights for some of theand Caliber Logistics. When these companies
world's leading airlines, flying to 101 cities in 46combined, the new organization became known as
countries. Its main base is Miami International AirportFDX Corp.
(MIA).The name "FedEx" had been a popular, if unofficial,
The airline was founded in April 1992 by the lateabbreviation for Federal Express for several years
Michael Chowdry, to specialise in the long-termbefore the company chose it as its primary brand
contract outsourcing of its Boeing 747 aircraft. Itname in 1994. The new identity was revealed to the
started operations in 1993 with one Boeing 747 andworld on June 24, 1994. The "Federal Express" name
contracted by China Airlines. In 1995 they beganwas eliminated entirely in 2000, when FDX
trading publicly on the NASDAQ, and in 1997Corporation changed its name to FedEx Corporation
appeared on the New York Stock Exchange. An initialand adopted the tagline "The World On Time" [1]. In
public offering of 4 million shares was made in August2000, FedEx and USPS signed a 7 year contract to
1998. In 2001 the airline introduced a new program ofcarry all the USPS overnight and high priority mail
leasing and services, based on the ACMI model.throughout the FedEx system. The postal contract
Under this new program, Atlas Air cargo planes wouldhas recently been extented until 2012 and USPS
be available to other airlines for operations such ascontinues to be one of the largest customers for
charter flights. In July 2004 Atlas Air completed itsFedEx. In 2001, FedEx acquired American Freightways
restructuring plan and emerged from Chapter 11and Viking Freight, two leading less-than-truckload
bankruptcy protection. Recently, Polar Air Cargo pilotscarriers in the U.S., and combined them to create
ended a 20 day labor dispute with its parent, AtlasFedEx Freight. In February 2004, FedEx bought
Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc.Kinko's, a Dallas-based chain that provides printing and
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAWW)business services, for $2.4 billion.
wholly owns Atlas Air, Polar Air Cargo, and a share ofIn its advertising, the company made famous the line
Global Supply Systems (49%)."Absolutely, positively" for their overnight service; the
The airline was named after the famous Greek Godoriginal phrase was "When it absolutely, positively has
Atlas, who supposedly carried the world on histo get there overnight." Another slogan, "Relax, it's
shoulders. Their symbol on the plane's tail is a goldFedEx", is well recognized. For several years the
man carrying a gold world.company promoted the slogan "Don't panic",
FedEx (NYSE: FDX), properly FedEx Corporation, is aparticularly on buttons. Throughout Europe, the
courier company offering overnight courier, ground,marketing tag line is "whatever it takes", referring to
heavy freight, document copying and logisticsthe efforts that individual employees will go to ensure
services. FedEx is a syllabic abbreviation of thethat the package arrives on time.
company's original name, Federal Express.Major competitors include DHL, TNT, UPS, and the
The company was founded as Federal Express inUSPS.
1971 by former U.S. Marine Fred Smith in Little Rock,