British cargo airline One Air is eyeing to double its freighter fleet by the end of 2025 as it marked its first year of operations.
The cargo carrier connected 28 global airports and carried over 17 million kilos of cargo. It is now preparing to embark on the next phase of its fleet expansion, with a third Boeing 747-400F entering service by the end of August.
One Air operated its inaugural flight on July 24, 2023, carrying a 100-tonne payload from Jinan-Shandong in eastern China to London Heathrow.
Since then, it has been providing regular weekly full charter capacity linking Asia and Europe as well as for performing ad hoc global charter services.
Key milestones in One Air's first year of operations included the addition of a second B747-400F to its fleet in November to support growing demand for cargo capacity from China and Hong Kong to Europe and its decision to make East Midlands Airport a regular origin and destination point in the UK.
Establishing a base at East Midlands has enabled One Air to benefit from easier slot availability and fewer restrictions around night flying compared to other airports.
"The first year of operations for a new airline can be a voyage of discovery. I am delighted to say that at One Air, our first 12 months have seen steady growth as we lay the foundations for our long-term ambitions," said Chris Hope, chief operating officer at One Air.
"We greatly appreciate our global sales agency partner, Air One Aviation, for driving demand, and the freight forwarders, charter brokers, and logistics providers for their trust in us as a new airline."
"The arrival of our third aircraft in August will expand our offerings, and by the end of 2025, we hope to have doubled our fleet based on promising growth opportunities," he added.
One Air has noted that in its first year, the cargo airline has built a team of highly experienced and accomplished aviation and cargo specialists at its UK headquarters. The company started with an initial team of six people and now employs over 115 industry professionals, including pilots who have joined from a variety of other global airlines.
