is an
Airline of
Avion Group , based in
Reykjavík ,
Iceland . It leases wide-bodied aircraft on an ACMI (Aircraft, Crews, Maintenance, Insurance) basis to airlines needing extra passenger and cargo capacity. Its prime aircraft are
Boeing 747 ,
Boeing 757 and
Boeing 767 and more than 60 aircraft are in their fleet. Cargo operations are also included using Boeing 747 Freighters. Air Atlanta Icelandic operates from multiple bases around the world. It also operates charter services from
Keflavík International Airport for Icelandic tour operators.
The airline was established on
10 February 1986 by Captain Arngrimur Johannsson (Chairman of the company) and his wife, Thora Gudmundsdottir. Their first contract came when
Caribbean Airways wet-leased a
Douglas DC-8 from them for their
London to
Barbados flights. In
1988 , the airline leased planes for
Air Afrique to be used during the
Hajj pilmigrage trips. This would become an important part of the structure of Air Atlanta later on.
Sudan Airways and
Lufthansa were among the other airlines that benefited from leasing passenger airplanes from Air Atlanta Icelandic during the late
1980s , as well as
Finnair , which leased a
Boeing 737 from the Icelandic company.
It was in
1992 that Air Atlanta Icelandic was able to take passengers to the sky with their own airline operation. Their first flight was done on a
Lockheed L-1011 plane. Later in 1992, Air Atlanta Icelandic participated in the
United Nations peacekeepers airlifting, flying the UN representants from
Former Yugoslavia to
Nigeria and
France .
In
1993 , the
Boeing 747 arrived, and
Saudi Arabian Airlines became one of the first airlines to lease that plane from Air Atlanta Icelandic, also for hajj flights. And, after signing a contract with
Samvinn Travel , Air Atlanta Icelandic began operating domestic charter flights too. Later, in
1993 , a flight from
Phnom Penh to
Bangkok was launched, using a Boeing 737.
By
1994 , Air Atlanta Icelandic had obtained rights to operate service from many other international countries, including the
United States , from where they had a flight to
Colombia , and the
Philippines , where they were allowed to operate domestic charter flights. About that time, they began to offer flights within
Europe for free and began service to
Portugal .
In
1996 a couple rented an Air Atlanta Icelandic L-1011 to have a sky-wedding. The couple and their wedding guests were treated to a flight over the arctic circle, while the wedding was performed inside the jet.
1997 saw the arrival of contracts with such airlines as
Britannia Airways and
Iberia , which would use an Air Atlanta Icelandic plane for its routes from
Barajas International Airport in
Madrid to
Jose Marti International Airport in
Havana and to other points in the
Caribbean . That year also saw the arrival of the airline's first Boeing 747SP plane, which would later be utilized by government officials, sports teams and
The Rolling Stones , among others.
In
1998 , Air Atlanta Icelandic leased planes for
British Airways , and in
1999 Magnus G. Thorstenn was named the company's new CEO. In '99 also, the airline became a fully wide bodied airplane airline, when they sold the last of their Boeing 737's. In year
2000 ,
Air India joined the growing list of other airlines that have leased airplanes from Air Atlanta Icelandic airlines.
Air Atlanta Icelandic still leases their jets to a number of airlines, while providing their own airline flights, taking passengers to such places as
Puerto Rico ,
Kenya ,
Cuba ,
Barcelona and the rest of Europe on charter flights.
Model Airplane wise, Air Atlanta Icelandic has
Schabak and
Flight Miniatures under contract to produce those types of promotional items for the airline/leaser company.
In 2003 Air Atlanta Icelandic expanded into the UK with their subsidiary, Air Atlanta Europe who operate 747's ad-hoc, charter and for florida tour operator, Travel City Direct.
In March
2004 the company acquired a 40.5% stake in the UK charter airline
Excel Airways , later increased to 76.9%.
In January
2005 The Avion Group was formed and Air Atlanta Icelandic and Islandflug merged under the Air Atlanta Icelandic brand name.
In
2005 The Avion Group acquired Eimskip, a leading Icelandic sea transportation company and a UK holiday company, Travel City Direct.
In
2006 The Avion Group announced the purchase of the entire issued share capital of French charter airline
Star Airlines , the second largest charter airline in the French market. Star Airlines operates charter flights mainly to destinations in Africa, The Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Star Airlines operates scheduled flights, in addition to charter services to the Lebanon, Mali and Mexico.
The Avion Group currently has 66 Boeing and Airbus aircraft in its fleet with a total number of 3,200 employees involved in its aviation activities. The shipping and logistics division is represented by Eimskip, the prime maritime transportation company in Iceland, with its fleet of 18 ships, supported by 1,350 people at 55 operational bases.
Air Atlanta Icelandic operates services to the following international scheduled destinations (at January ,
Madrid ,
Manchester and
Orlando .
The Air Atlanta Icelandic fleet consists of the following aircraft (at September 2005):
Passenger Fleet
Cargo Aircraft
Aircraft on order
