Since
early 1980
ABX Air operated as the airline division of Airborne Express. Positioned
as the third largest air cargo operator in North America, Airborne began
to investigate strategic alternatives during late 2000. The search led the freight corporation to DHL
International. In early August of 2002 Airborne Express and DHL met to discuss
a merger of the two freight companies.
In order to prevent foreign ownership issues, it was decided to spin the airline division off
from the finalized merger and allow it to form as an independent ACMI
(Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) carrier with its own Board of
Directors and issuance of its own stock. This move would permit ABX
Air to contract to not only DHL for movement of air freight, but seek other
business opportunities such as charter work. ABX Air
had already established charter contract operations, but this expanded freedom would
allow the "new" carrier to further market those charter services
to as many customers as possible.
On August 14, 2003 Airborne shareholders approved
the acquisition of Airborne Freight by DHL and the subsequent separation
of ABX Air. On August 15th ABX Air Inc. became an
independent, public company. Joseph C. Hete was named President, Chief
Executive Officer, and a member of the Board Of Directors of ABX Air. Hete,
who joined ABX Air in 1980, had been its President and COO since January
2000 and served on the board since its inception as an airline in 1988.
On May 5th, 2005 ABX Air Inc. was approved to list common shares on the
open market, becoming its own entity on the NASDAQ. ABX
Air, Inc. had transitioned from simply the air arm of Airborne Express into
a private airline.
In late July of 2007 ABX Air entered into ACMI agreement with All Nippon
Airways (ANA) to operate B767-200SF aircraft from their Kansai Operations
Base in Japan flying to and from Mainland China in support of ANA's
mission to expand the air cargo services within the Far East. This
partnership with ANA was the first of its kind - not only for ABX Air, but
in the history of Japanese air transportation.
No other airline has been granted permission by the Japanese government
to operate flights within Japan and between Japan and China as ABX Air was
on behalf of All Nippon Airways.
On November 7, 2007 ABX
Air announced that it had acquired Cargo Holdings International,
Inc. (CHI), a privately held provider of outsourced air cargo services
based in Orlando, Florida, in a transaction valued at approximately $350
million. CHI was a leading provider of air cargo transportation and related
services to domestic and foreign air carriers. CHI also provided valuable aircraft leasing, fuel
management, specialized transportation management and air charter
brokerage services.
At the time
its roster
of more than 30 customers included BAX/Schenker, the U.S. Government, DHL,
the U.S. Postal Service, and UPS. CHI operated 32 aircraft, and owned
five Boeing 767-200s and one 757-200 all undergoing freighter conversion.
ABX Air created a new holding company structure, with ABX Air, Inc.
becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of ABX Holdings, Inc. CHI thus became a
wholly owned subsidiary of ABX Holdings, Inc.
Air Transport International Douglas DC-8
Air Transport International B767-200SF
On May 16, 2008 Air Transport Services Group Inc. was created.
Formerly known as ABX Holdings Inc. ATSG exists as a holding company whose
principal subsidiaries include the original two independently certificated
airlines formerly of CHI: Capital Cargo International Airlines, Inc.
(CCIA) and Air Transport International, LLC (ATI), with the addition of
ABX Air, Inc. (ABX) as the third independent airline.
At that time, ABX became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and all
of the common shares of ABX, which were then publicly traded, were
converted into shares of the Company. During the year ended December 31,
2007, the Company operated in two segments: DHL, which involves the
aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance agreement with DHL Network
Operations (USA), Inc. (ACMI agreement) and the hub services agreement
with DHL Express (USA), Inc. in conjunction with the acquisition of
Airborne Inc. (DHL Network Operations and DHL Express are individually and
collectively referred to as DHL), and Charters, which refers to operations
of aircraft that are not under contract to DHL, providing ACMI services
and fly charters for other customers. Other business operations included
aircraft maintenance and modification services, aircraft part sales and
mail handling for the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Collectively, ABX Air and CHI have a total fleet of more than 135
aircraft, and currently operate the largest fleet of 767 freighter
aircraft in the world. Like ABX Air, the majority of CHI’s aircraft
operate under contracts to provide the aircraft, crew, maintenance and
insurance (ACMI).
Capital Cargo International B727-200F
Capital Cargo International B757-200F
In April 2008 Joe Hete assumed the duties of President and Chief
Executive Officer of ATSG and CEO ABX Air Inc., replaced as President of
ABX Air by Jon Graber. Jon came to ABX Air from AAR Corporation, where he
was the President and General Manager of Aircraft Services in
Indianapolis. He was the Senior Vice President of Operations and General
Manager of the military and charter businesses at ATA Airlines.
A worldwide
reach with the Right airplane at just the Right time
Loading an ABX Air
B767-200SF under contract to All Nippon Airways in Kansai, Japan
Taxi for takeoff in
Dalian, China
Departing Anchorage, Alaska
Takeoff
Guatemala City
ABX Air continues to operate charter flights throughout Asia, the Caribbean, Mexico,
Latin and South America. The reputation of ABX Air throughout the industry
is that of
a seasoned air cargo carrier that knows that reliable service is more than
just a byline - It is a philosophy.
ABX Air Inc. continues the tradition of first-rate air freight services
that made Airborne Express. Now, as an independent air cargo carrier, ABX
Air seeks to expand into new areas of business while providing quality and
reliable lift service to its existing customers.
The sky truly is the limit.
|
