Sean Cleary, Senior Manager of Ground Support Services.
The success of every Atlas Air flight begins and ends on the ground.
Fleet maintenance. Proper fueling. Cargo loading and unloading. Communication with air traffic control. Passenger check-in and support. These tasks and more are among the responsibilities of the Ground Operations team. Jobs in Ground Ops offer the chance to touch every aspect of the airline industry. No two days are the same, and the work is never boring.
For Sean Cleary, Senior Manager of Ground Support Services at Atlas Air, the path to Ground Ops was an unexpected one. He first started working in the airline industry when his friend got a job handling baggage at an airport. Sean’s father had worked in the industry on the cargo side, and Sean decided to join his friend.
The job stuck with him. Even while pursuing higher education and holding other part-time jobs, Sean was always thinking about returning to an airline. Years later, he earned his pilot’s license, but he didn’t want the travel schedule required of an airline pilot. Working in Ground Ops offered an appealing compromise.
Sean (right) with Governor Herbert in July 2020 when the Governor visited Salt Lake City to welcome an Atlas Air operated a UPS/Dreamlifter flight sponsored by Boeing to deliver urgently needed masks the city.
Now, Sean gets to experience the airline industry from all angles. It’s his job to stay as tuned-in to the operation as much as possible. Sometimes that means running out to the airplane and operating controls. Other times, the job entails loading and unloading cargo or coordinating a passenger flight. And there’s still the opportunity for travel—with a far less demanding schedule than pilots.
Sean also manages the many vendors that play a role in a flight. On the fuel side, he manages about 140 vendors in addition to 60 on the deicing side. He occasionally travels to meet with them wherever they’re based around the globe. Sean works hand-in-hand with the Quality Control team to set up audits for those vendors to ensure service levels are where they should be.
Every day in the life of an Atlas Air Ground Ops team member is different and always interesting. Sean’s job, for example, is global. He wakes up to emails from Asia and parts of Europe answering questions asked the night before. Recently, he traveled to Salt Lake City to help coordinate and promote an Atlas Air flight that brought a load of masks to the local school district in response to COVID-19. He also helped coordinate an Atlas flight to Riga International Airport in Latvia for the opening of that airport’s new cargo terminal.
“Anyone who is interested in aviation should consider working with Ground Ops,” Sean said. “It’s a great way to learn about so many aspects of the aviation industry and why every role is important.”
Purchase, N.Y., November 30, 2021 – Atlas Air, Inc., a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAWW), announced an extension of its partnership with Schenker Flight Services GmbH (DB Schenker), one of the world’s largest integrated logistics service providers, to provide transpacific service.
Atlas Air’s relationship with DB Schenker includes supporting its global network by providing charter capacity service. The new arrangement builds on an agreement Atlas Air reached with DB Schenker in 2020, and extends the dedicated capacity, which Atlas Air provides on multiple flights every week.
“We are excited to strengthen our partnership with DB Schenker through this long-term, extended agreement to provide critical capacity for our valued customer,” said John W. Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide. “We appreciate DB Schenker’s confidence in Atlas Air’s ability to deliver their cargo safely and efficiently as we support their network across the Pacific and around the world.”
Björn Eckbauer, Senior Vice President, Global Operations and Procurement Airfreight for DB Schenker, said the flights Atlas Air provides have become an essential part of their global flight network. “We are excited to extend our current partnership with Atlas Air on our transpacific charter operations. The timely and reliable operation of Atlas Air fits perfectly into our commitment to provide our customers a reliable service for air transportation in their supply chain,” Mr. Eckbauer said.
About Atlas Air Worldwide:
Atlas Air Worldwide is a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services. It is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc., and Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc., and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. Our companies operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft for domestic, regional and international cargo and passenger operations.
Atlas Air Worldwide’s press releases, SEC filings and other information may be accessed through the company’s home page, www.atlasairworldwide.com.
Each year, Atlas Air operates as many as 68,000 flights to 314 destinations in 74 countries connecting producers to consumers and carrying everything from military equipment to pharmaceuticals and fresh fruit and flowers.
Before any of those flights take off, the Atlas team undertakes a rigorous set of procedures to ensure the safety of the flight, its Crew and cargo.
Intense preparation and planning go into every flight, with a load plan created to meet the needs of every type of specialized cargo.
Typically, cargo is loaded onto pallets for transport. But pallets aren’t suited for all types of cargo. Cars and heavy mining equipment, for example, require extra planning.
As a general cargo carrier, Atlas Air specializes in transporting these types of out-of-the-ordinary cargo. Because Atlas operates more “pure freighters” than any other carrier, it is able to move special loads to locations throughout the world. These pure freighters have extra-large doors, including a nose door.
“If you look at a 747 cargo, the nose will actually open up, and you can load a really long pipe, for example,” said Richard Rolland, Senior Vice President, Safety and Regulatory Compliance at Atlas Air.
Atlas’s special loads department builds a load plan for special cargo within 48 hours of receiving a transport request. The plan uses the cargo’s weight, size and shape to determine how it should be stowed while taking into account the aircraft’s balance and capacity requirements.
The plan also factors in conditions necessary for the cargo load while onboard. Many types of cargo require carefully maintained temperature control – flowers, pharmaceuticals and produce, for example. Atlas’s load plans include consideration of the amount of time that sensitive cargo must spend outside. The Crew operating the flight also are aware when the load being carried is perishable.
“Any cargo that is temperature sensitive needs to move quickly. That’s why air is usually the transport method chosen,” Richard explained. “The considerations start at the loading of the aircraft. (The cargo) comes from a temperature-controlled warehouse onto a loader and onto the airplane. Loading is done as quickly as possible.”
Once the load is in place on the aircraft, Crew members are given instructions for setting temperatures for the flight deck and cargo deck through the aircrafts’ Environmental Control Systems in the cockpit.
“Our teams do a great job of working together to make sure the cargo we fly around the world arrives at its destination safely and as our customers expect. That could be sensitive medical equipment or 8,000 pounds of strawberries,” said Bryan Brown, Senior Director of Safety for Atlas’s Southern Air.
In my 22 years with Atlas Air, I’ve watched our crews and ground staff perform at the highest levels under diverse and extraordinary conditions. One of the most memorable times will be witnessing our teams work tirelessly and with great compassion to evacuate refugees from Afghanistan throughout August and September.
When the U.S. Government activated the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) program on August 22, Atlas and a handful of other carriers stepped up to provide the military the lift capacity to support this historic humanitarian mission. Atlas has long participated in the CRAF program, and it is a personal point of pride for me to know that we can step up and assist the United States government and the American people in a time of need.
These missions showed the best of who we are at Atlas. In total, we transported more than 7,800 Afghan evacuees and their families from forward locations in Qatar, Bahrain, and Germany to the United States on 22 flights.
Our support of the Afghanistan evacuation builds on our longstanding relationship with the U.S. Armed Forces. Atlas is the largest airlift provider to the U.S. military each year, moving both personnel and equipment around the globe in support of military operations. In the last ten years, Atlas has flown nearly 2 million American service members on thousands of flights.
We commissioned a special Atlas Air Operation Allies Refuge Commemorative Coin to mark our Company’s role in the largest passenger movement in the military’s history. The distribution and exchange of coins within the military is a longstanding tradition, and Atlas is proud to honor this tradition within our own company by sharing this coin with our employees as a token of appreciation.
Time and again, our Atlas team has responded to the world’s most urgent challenges. I am proud to lead a company full of dedicated professionals with a shared sense of commitment and service.
Click here to watch a video of our colleagues sharing their experiences of the mission.
PURCHASE, N.Y., November 17, 2021 – Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAWW) today announced that the transition to bring operations of Southern Air, Inc. under a Single Operating Certificate (SOC) with Atlas Air, Inc. is now complete.
With the addition of Southern Air, Atlas Air was able to add 777 and 737 aircraft operating platforms, resulting in a more diversified company offering customers access to a wider range of aircraft, a broader array of services, greater scale and an expanded global footprint.
“The 2016 acquisition of Southern Air enhanced our company’s position as a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services by expanding our fleet and global capabilities to drive significant value for our customers and shareholders,” said John W. Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide. “It also brought us a talented team of aviation professionals who share in our commitment to our customers as we create an even stronger company for the future. We are excited to have all our Southern Air employees assume positions with Atlas Air as we complete the final step in merging these two great airlines.”
Mr. Dietrich expressed the company’s appreciation for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) assistance during the transition.
“We are grateful to the FAA for its support throughout this process as we focused on a safe and compliant operational transition,” Mr. Dietrich said. “The efforts and insight of the FAA team have been invaluable. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the FAA under this Single Operating Certificate.”
About Atlas Air Worldwide:
Atlas Air Worldwide is a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services. It is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc. and Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc., and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. Our companies operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft for domestic, regional and international cargo and passenger operations.
Atlas Air Worldwide’s press releases, SEC filings and other information may be accessed through the company’s home page, www.atlasairworldwide.com.
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PURCHASE, N.Y., November 15, 2021– Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAWW) announced its Atlas Air, Inc. subsidiary has expanded its partnership with Cainiao Network, (“Cainiao”), the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, to enhance overall shipping efficiency in response to the growth of cross-border trade between China and Latin America. With the launch of daily flights, Cainiao’s weekly cargo volume from China to Latin America has increased 144% compared to last October when there were only three chartered flights per week.
Under the expanded agreement, Atlas has added an additional B747-400F to fly between Hong Kong, China and Santiago, Chile. This brings the total dedicated fleet that Atlas operates for Cainiao to five aircraft.
This expanded fleet builds upon the successful collaboration between Atlas and Cainiao, which was launched in October 2020, with Atlas operating three weekly charter flights dedicated to Cainiao, linking Hong Kong with Brazil and Chile. The current upgraded Atlas-Cainiao partnership has enhanced overall warehouse distribution and air freight efficiency by over 40%.
According to Cainiao, the number of parcels shipped to Brazil in September 2021 increased by 200% as compared to the same month last year. In response to the robust growth, Cainiao rolled out “12-day delivery service” in Brazil’s core metropolitan areas. In addition, Cainiao also plans to establish a distribution center in Brazil to offer next-day or even same-day delivery in partnership with local delivery firms.
“Our partnership with Atlas Air continues to strengthen our network between South America and other destinations around the globe as we further enhance Cainiao’s capabilities to support merchants worldwide efficiently and reliably,” said William Xiong, Cainiao’s Chief Strategist and General Manager of Export Logistics.
“We are very pleased that Cainiao and Alibaba have selected Atlas as a strategic growth partner,” said President and Chief Executive Officer John W. Dietrich, Atlas Air Worldwide. “Through our successful relationship over the last year, Atlas’ global operating capabilities have enabled Cainiao to continue offering its customers faster deliveries throughout the world. We are excited to add incremental capacity in support of this growing partnership.”
Cainiao-Atlas Asia-Latin America Chartered Flight
About Cainiao Network:
Founded in 2013, Cainiao Network (“Cainiao”) is a global industrial internet company and the logistics arm of Alibaba Group. As part of its commitment to create customer value, it adopts a collaborative approach to logistics that aims to improve efficiency and customer experience for all players along the supply chain. It carries forward Alibaba’s mission of making it easy to do business anywhere by aiming to deliver anywhere in China within 24 hours, and across the globe within 72 hours.
Media Contact
Jin WU
jinwujun@alibaba-inc.com
About Atlas Air Worldwide:
Atlas Air Worldwide is a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services. It is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc., Southern Air Holdings, Inc. and Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc., and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. Our companies operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft for domestic, regional and international cargo and passenger operations.
Atlas Air Worldwide’s press releases, SEC filings and other information may be accessed through the company’s home page, www.atlasairworldwide.com.
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Purchase, N.Y., November 12, 2021 – Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAWW) is proud to be named among the Women’s Forum of New York’s 2021 Corporate Champions in recognition of its leadership to attain gender balance on its corporate board.
Atlas was honored at the organization’s sixth biennial “Breakfast of Corporate Champions” (BCC) event November 10 in New York City. The event highlighted 243 companies from the S&P 500 and Fortune 1000 that have achieved 35% or more female representation on their corporate boards. Atlas was recognized for exceeding this goal, reaching forty percent gender diversity on its board.
“We are proud of our strong board of directors and the diversity of perspectives represented,” said John W. Dietrich, President and CEO of Atlas Air Worldwide. “Atlas has prioritized diversity, equity and inclusion in its governance process, and we are stronger for it.”
The women serving on Atlas’ board include: Beverly K. Goulet, former Senior Vice President and Chief Integration Officer, American Airlines Group; Carol B. Hallett, Of Counsel, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Sheila A. Stamps, former Executive Vice President, DBI LLC, Senior Banking Executive; and Carol J. Zierhoffer, former Senior Vice President and Global Chief Information Officer at Bechtel Corporation.
All “Corporate Champion” companies honored from 2011 to 2021 have exceeded the national average for corporate board seats held by women. The ongoing Women’s Forum “Corporate Board Initiative” recognizes the critical role of CEO leadership in accelerating change to help make gender equity a business priority and driving intent to action.
“After ten years of tracking the numbers, we have seen impressive growth and significant advancement for gender parity and diversity in the leadership ranks of corporate America,” said BCC Chair and Founder, Janice Reals Ellig, CEO, Ellig Group. “This issue has even greater relevance in 2021, and we’re tremendously proud to celebrate an impressive collection of game-changing Corporate Champions who are determined to lead the way.”
About Atlas Air Worldwide:
Atlas Air Worldwide is a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services. It is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc., Southern Air Holdings, Inc. and Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc., and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. Our companies operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft for domestic, regional and international cargo and passenger operations.
Atlas Air Worldwide’s press releases, SEC filings and other information may be accessed through the company’s home page, www.atlasairworldwide.com.
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As we commemorate Veteran’s Day on Thursday, Nov. 11, we want to acknowledge the many military veterans among us here at Atlas Air.
We are grateful to Tom Killian, Senior Director of Cargo Services; Althea Arvin, Senior Director of Materials Management; and First Officer David Evangelista for sharing their stories with us. We thank them – and all who have served – for their dedication to our nation.
Tom Killian, Senior Director, Cargo Services
Technical Sergeant, U.S. Air Force (1986-1994)
For Tom, Veteran’s Day is an opportunity to reconnect with the airmen who became his family over the course of several months in 1991, when he was a boom operator on a KC-135 during the Gulf War.
“We had a hard crew – that means we flew as the same crew the entire war,” Tom said. “We flew together; we ate together; we lived in the same building together. We were together literally 24/7 for months. So, I become very close to those folks. On Veteran’s Day, we all talk or send a text to one another and wish each other a good day.”
Tom entered the Air Force in 1986, serving for eight years. After a brief stint as a U-2 aircraft mechanic at Beale Air Force Base in northern California, he applied to cross train in in-flight refueling, managing the delicate operation of safely connecting a tanker with another aircraft at altitudes up to 35,000 feet in order to refuel.
He taught in-flight refueling as an instructor on the KC-10 as part of the 79th Air Refueling Squadron, and when he was deployed to Kuwait for the Gulf War, he operated the inflight fueling boom on the KC-135 Stratotanker. The mission was intense, but the bonds he formed with the other crew members have endured.
For their efforts, Tom and the other members of the crew received the Air Medal, which is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. They each also received the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal from the government of Kuwait.
As Senior Director of Cargo Services at Atlas, Tom’s work keeps him on the ground. But during his time in the Air Force, he earned his commercial pilot’s license through the Aero Club. When he left active duty, in 1994, he flew crop dusters over rice fields and orchards in California and cotton and peanuts fields in Georgia. In the off-season, he worked as a ground instructor at various airlines.
In 2007, Tom joined Southern Air and, in 2017, Atlas Air, where veterans are well-represented among the workforce – a fact that he appreciates.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker during Air & Space Power Expo ’99. The Expo was put on for congress to show how ready the US Air Force is for the next Millenium. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jerry Morrison) (Released)
“There are a lot of veterans here,” said Tom, who developed his love of aviation sitting in the cockpit of his father’s plane as a child in Northern California. “For me, it goes back to the camaraderie. Because of the commonalities we have – that we have served, and we have similar experiences – we are connected.”
Tom said he doesn’t expect or seek acknowledgment for himself on Veteran’s Day. Instead, he said, he hopes others will remember the sacrifices of those who didn’t make it home.
“I think it’s important that people talk to their children about Veteran’s Day,” he said. “It’s important to try to help them understand that (fallen servicemen and women) paid the price for our freedom, so we can live the lives we live now.”
Althea Arvin, Senior Director, Materials Management
Major, U.S. Air Force (1995-2007)
Military service flows through Althea Arvin’s bloodline. Her father and uncles were active-duty Air Force pilots.
Her own distinguished military career spanned 12 years as a commanding officer overseeing the work of aircraft and armament mechanics in Air Force maintenance shops. She served in Operation Enduring Freedom, where she was in charge of the operation to support and maintain tankers at the Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The tradition continues with two of her sons, who currently serve in the Army. Her oldest son, August, is a nodal systems technician at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Her younger son, Benjamin, is a track vehicle mechanic at Fort Hood in Texas.
“There is a long-standing history of military service in my family,” said Althea, who joined Atlas Air as Senior Director, Materials Management, in October 2021. “(August and Ben) are aware of their heritage of older generations of family members having served in World War II and the Vietnam War. It’s a proud family history, and I think they feel that they are carrying it out. I am certainly proud of them.”
A U.S. Air Force KC-10A Extender aircraft from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron refuels an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 79th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron over eastern Afghanistan Nov. 26, 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Michael B. Keller/Released)
Althea spent most of her high school years in England, where her father was stationed as an Air Force fighter pilot, flying in the back seat of F-4s and F-111s.
Althea graduated from University of Kentucky in 1995 as a distinguished ROTC graduate, which meant she had her first choice of career paths. Her dream had been to become a pilot herself, but a back injury in her youth took that option away. So, she decided to pursue the path that would still keep her close to the planes she loved – aircraft maintenance.
Althea said her military service forms an important part of her identity.
“Military life and service and being around that environment made me more curious about service and leadership and wanting to take care of people,” she said. “What really makes the military experience great is not just the service to the military, but the service to each other – your brothers and sisters in arms. I think about how rewarding that experience was for me and the relationships I got to experience and the type of people I served with.”
Althea said Veteran’s Day is a chance to reflect on those relationships and to honor those who have given their lives for their nation.
“I think about the people who didn’t come home,” she said. “I will never forget their sacrifice. I have served with people who were lost. I have friends who have lost loved ones. I think about them other times of the year, but especially on Veteran’s Day.”
First Officer David Evangelista
E-3, U.S. Navy (January 2008- October 2011)
Originally from Brazil, First Officer David Evangelista takes particular pride in serving the nation that he calls “the best country in the world.”
David served for nearly four years in the U.S. Navy. But his sense of duty has extended beyond his military career. In August, he volunteered for Atlas Air’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) mission to support the evacuation of Afghanistan.
“Being an immigrant myself and seeing what some people have to go through, and what they expect coming in to a country like the United States, it’s overwhelming,” he said following a flight to bring passengers to Dulles International Airport (IAD). “The United States is going to be a place where they can restart.”
David served in the Navy for nearly three years and went on to graduate from Broward College with a degree in Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology in 2013. In 2014, he obtained his commercial pilot’s license.
A right side view of a KC-10 Extender aircraft refueling an SR-71 Blackbird aircraft in-flight during testing. The Extender, silhouetted against the sunset horizon, is from the 78th Air Refueling Squadron, and the Blackbird, the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing.
He flew for Simmons Aviation, American Aviation AB Jets and Republic Airways prior to joining Atlas Air in January 2020.
“I was excited to be a part of (the CRAF mission),” said David, who flies as a First Officer on 747s and is based in Miami. “I was in the United States Navy myself, so I felt like I served a second time and (did) something for the greater good of America.”
Atlas Air Worldwide applauds passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and thanks members of Congress and President Biden for working together on legislation that will modernize the U.S. transportation system.
The bill will strengthen the efficiency and resiliency of our domestic supply chains through historic levels of funding for ports, highways, and rail infrastructure.
The legislation also includes increased investment in our nation’s aviation system which will enable airports to meet the demand of dramatically increased air cargo operations. Combined, this multi-modal legislation will positively impact safety, efficiency and sustainability and allow Atlas to continue to deliver critical goods to American companies and consumers.
We are pleased to support this bipartisan legislation and look forward to the president signing it into law.
PURCHASE, NY, November 3, 2021 – Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAWW) today announced strong third-quarter 2021 results, including net income of $119.5 million, or $3.91 per diluted share, compared with net income of $74.1 million, or $2.78 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2020.
On an adjusted basis, EBITDA grew sharply to $280.5 million in the third quarter this year compared with $196.3 million in the third quarter of 2020. Adjusted net income in the third quarter of 2021 increased to $145.4 million, or $4.88 per diluted share, compared with $82.7 million, or $2.84 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2020.
“We delivered outstanding financial and operating results in the third quarter. We flew over 90,000 block hours and generated quarterly revenue that exceeded $1.0 billion for the first time in our company’s history,” said Atlas Air Worldwide President and Chief Executive Officer John W. Dietrich.
“Our strategic focus on express, e-commerce and fast-growing global markets is driving robust demand for our services and producing strong financial performance. In a very challenging pandemic operating environment, our team pulled together to increase utilization of our aircraft, and safely serve our customers and the global supply chain.
“We recently announced long-term contract extensions for 20 aircraft with DHL Express as well as a new long-term ACMI agreement with FedEx. We have also extended or entered into other new long-term agreements with additional strategic customers. Collectively, these agreements demonstrate our ability to capitalize on market opportunities and deepen long-standing relationships with our customers.
“As we served the needs of our customers and their businesses, we were also extremely proud to support the U.S. government’s historic evacuation from Afghanistan. In total, we operated over 30 missions, transporting about 10,000 U.S. personnel as well as Afghan evacuees and their families from various locations into the United States.”
Mr. Dietrich added: “At Atlas, our people are our greatest asset, and we are pleased to have reached a new five-year joint collective bargaining agreement with our pilots. Under this agreement, all of our pilots will receive higher pay, quality of life improvements and enhanced benefits in line with our competitive landscape. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with our pilots and their new union leadership to build an even stronger company.
“We are operating in a very strong airfreight market, and we expect industry conditions to remain favorable for the foreseeable future. Global airfreight volumes continue to exceed pre-pandemic levels, while industry capacity, particularly on long-haul international routes, has not kept pace with demand. Supply chain bottlenecks, including the widely reported challenges at ocean ports worldwide, are driving increased modal shift to air as manufacturers, retailers and shippers strive to replenish very low inventory levels, especially ahead of the holiday shopping season. This current environment has also led to a structural acceleration of express growth and e-commerce adoption, which will drive both current and longer-term airfreight demand.”
He concluded: “We expect record revenue and adjusted earnings in the fourth quarter of 2021, with revenue of nearly $1.1 billion and adjusted EBITDA of about $325 million. We also anticipate adjusted net income to grow in excess of 20% compared with our prior fourth-quarter adjusted net income record of $143.2 million in 2020.*
“This outlook includes the impact of our new joint collective bargaining agreement and our proactive initiatives to help mitigate the higher costs of the new agreement. It also reflects the increased contribution of numerous new and extended long-term customer agreements, high levels of aircraft utilization driven by strong customer demand, and solid peak-season volumes and yields.”
Third-Quarter Results
Volumes in the third quarter of 2021 totaled 90,363 block hours compared with 90,528 in the third quarter of 2020, with revenue rising to a record $1.02 billion compared with $809.9 million in the prior-year quarter.
Higher Airline Operations revenue primarily reflected an increase in the average rate per block hour. The higher average rate per block hour was primarily due to an increased proportion of higher-yielding flying, including the impact of new and extended long-term contracts, the ongoing reduction of available cargo capacity in the market, the continued disruption of global supply chains due to the pandemic, as well as higher fuel costs. Block-hour volumes during the period were relatively unchanged as we reduced less profitable smaller gauge CMI service flying, while increasing utilization of our current fleet to meet strong customer demand. Block-hour volumes benefited from the operation of a 747-400 freighter we reactivated during the fourth quarter of 2020 as well as increased AMC passenger Charter flying related to Afghanistan evacuation efforts in 2021.
Higher Airline Operations segment contribution in the third quarter of 2021 was primarily driven by the positive factors benefiting segment revenue mentioned above as well as lower heavy maintenance expense. These improvements were partially offset by higher pilot costs related to our new joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA).
In Dry Leasing, segment revenue in the third quarter of 2021 was relatively unchanged compared with the prior-year period. Higher segment contribution was primarily due to lower interest expense related to the scheduled repayment of debt.
Unallocated income and expenses, net, increased during the quarter, primarily due to $64.2 million in CARES Act grant income in 2020 (which was excluded from our adjusted results) and a $15.2 million increase related to adjustments to paid time-off benefits in our new JCBA in 2021.
Reported earnings in the third quarter of 2021 also included an effective income tax rate of 23.4%. On an adjusted basis, our results reflected an effective income tax rate of 22.3%.
Cash
At September 30, 2021, our cash, including cash equivalents and restricted cash, totaled $784.1 million compared with $856.3 million at December 31, 2020.
The change in position, which reflects significant pre-delivery payments for our new 747-8F aircraft, resulted from cash used for investing and financing activities, partially offset by cash provided by operating activities.
Net cash used for investing activities during the first nine months of 2021 primarily related to capital expenditures and payments for flight equipment and modifications, including pre-delivery payments for 747-8F aircraft, spare engines, GEnx engine overhauls and performance upgrade kits.
Net cash used for financing activities during the period primarily related to payments on debt obligations, partially offset by proceeds from debt issuance.
Nine-Month Results
Reported results for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 increased to net income of $316.6 million, or $10.52 per diluted share. Results compared with net income of $176.3 million, or $6.72 per diluted share, which included an unrealized loss on financial instruments of $73.4 million, for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.
On an adjusted basis, EBITDA grew to $705.6 million in the first nine months of 2021 compared with $564.5 million in the first nine months of 2020. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, adjusted net income increased to $339.4 million, or $11.44 per diluted share, compared with $235.8 million, or $8.71 per diluted share, in the first nine months of 2020.
Fleet Management
As previously announced, we acquired three of our existing 747-400Fs between May and August 2021 that were formerly on lease to us. In October 2021, we acquired three additional 747-400Fs that were previously leased to us. We also reached agreement with lessors in May and June 2021 to purchase five of our other 747-400Fs at the end of their existing lease terms, which occur throughout 2022.
Acquiring these eleven aircraft underscores our confidence in the demand for widebody freighters and will provide strong returns for Atlas in the years ahead.
Labor
As previously disclosed, we reached a new five-year JCBA with our Atlas Air and Southern Air pilots in September 2021. This new agreement will provide our pilots with industry-competitive pay, quality of life improvements and enhanced benefits. The new pay rates became effective as of September 1, 2021. The company and the union are working collaboratively to implement all of the other terms of the JCBA in the coming months. The new JCBA also paves the way for us to complete the merger between Atlas Air and Southern Air, which we expect to occur during the fourth quarter.
Outlook*
We are very proud of our performance during the first nine months of 2021, and we are continuing to see strong business conditions in the fourth quarter. Subject to any material COVID-19 or other developments, we anticipate solid peak-season volumes and yields, reflecting strong global demand for our aircraft and services.
As a result, we expect the fourth quarter of 2021 to have the highest quarterly revenue and adjusted earnings in the company’s history, with revenue of nearly $1.1 billion and adjusted EBITDA of about $325 million from flying more than 90,000 block hours. In addition, we anticipate adjusted net income to grow in excess of 20% compared with our prior fourth-quarter adjusted net income record of $143.2 million in 2020.*
This outlook includes the impact of our new JCBA, as well as our proactive initiatives to help mitigate the higher costs from the new agreement. It also reflects the increased contribution of numerous new and extended long-term customer agreements, as well as our expectation of continued high levels of aircraft utilization.
We expect fourth-quarter results to continue to be impacted by ongoing pandemic-related expenses, including premium pay for employees flying into certain locations significantly impacted by COVID-19 and other operational costs for providing a safe working environment for our employees.
For the full year in 2021, we expect aircraft maintenance expense to total approximately $450 million, and depreciation and amortization to total about $280 million. In addition, core capital expenditures, which exclude aircraft and engine purchases, are projected to total approximately $90 to $100 million, mainly for parts and components for our fleet.
Other than with regard to revenue, we provide guidance only on an adjusted basis because we are unable to predict, with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort, the effects of future gains and losses on asset sales, special charges and other unanticipated items that could be material to our reported results.*
Conference Call
As previously announced, management will host a conference call to discuss Atlas Air Worldwide’s third-quarter 2021 financial and operating results at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 3, 2021.
Interested parties may listen to the call live at Atlas Air Worldwide’s Investor site or at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/gtuvu4m3.
For those unable to listen to the live call, a replay will be archived on our Investor site following the call. A replay will also be available through November 10 by dialing (855) 859-2056 (U.S. Toll Free) or (404) 537-3406 (from outside the U.S.) and using Access Code 4879270#.
About Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we present certain non-GAAP financial measures to assist in the evaluation of our business performance. These non-GAAP measures include Adjusted EBITDA; Adjusted net income; Adjusted Diluted EPS; Adjusted effective tax rate; and Free Cash Flow, which exclude certain noncash income and expenses, and items impacting year-over-year comparisons of our results. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for Net income; Diluted EPS; Effective tax rate; and Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, which are the most directly comparable measures of performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, respectively.
Our management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing the performance of the company’s ongoing operations and in planning and forecasting future periods. We believe that these adjusted measures, when considered together with the corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures and the reconciliations to those measures, provide meaningful supplemental information to assist investors and analysts in understanding our financial results and assessing our prospects for future performance. For example:
*Other than with regard to revenue, we provide guidance only on an adjusted basis and are unable to provide forward-looking guidance on a U.S. GAAP basis or a reconciliation to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measures because we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort, the ultimate outcome of certain significant items, including future gains and losses on asset sales, special charges and other unanticipated items. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors, and could have a material impact on our U.S. GAAP results.
About Atlas Air Worldwide:
Atlas Air Worldwide is a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services. It is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc., Southern Air Holdings, Inc. and Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc., and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. Our companies operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft for domestic, regional and international cargo and passenger operations.
Atlas Air Worldwide’s press releases, SEC filings and other information may be accessed through the company’s home page, www.atlasairworldwide.com.
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that reflect Atlas Air Worldwide’s current views with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. Those statements are based on management’s beliefs, plans, expectations and assumptions, and on information currently available to management. Generally, the words “will,” “may,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “continue,” “believe,” “seek,” “project,” “estimate,” and similar expressions used in this release that do not relate to historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. They are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the operations and business environments of Atlas Air Worldwide and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “companies”) that may cause the actual results of the companies to be materially different from any future results, express or implied, in such forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: our ability to effectively operate the network service contemplated by our agreements with Amazon; our ability to coordinate with Amazon to accept newly converted aircraft; the possibility that Amazon may terminate its agreements with the companies; the ability of the companies to operate pursuant to the terms of their financing facilities; the ability of the companies to obtain and maintain normal terms with vendors and service providers; the companies’ ability to maintain contracts that are critical to their operations; the ability of the companies to fund and execute their business plan; the ability of the companies to attract, motivate and/or retain key executives, pilots and associates; the ability of the companies to attract and retain customers; the continued availability of our wide-body aircraft; demand for cargo services in the markets in which the companies operate; changes in U.S. and non-U.S. government trade and tax policies; economic conditions; the impact of geographical events or health epidemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of COVID-19 vaccine mandates; our compliance with the requirements and restrictions under the Payroll Support Program; the effects of any hostilities or act of war (in the Middle East or elsewhere) or any terrorist attack; significant data breach or disruption of our information technology systems; labor costs and relations, work stoppages and service slowdowns; the outcome of pending negotiations and arbitration with our pilots’ union; financing costs; the cost and availability of war risk insurance; aviation fuel costs; security-related costs; competitive pressures on pricing (especially from lower-cost competitors); volatility in the international currency markets; weather conditions; government legislation and regulation; border restrictions; consumer perceptions of the companies’ products and services; anticipated and future litigation; and other risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in Atlas Air Worldwide’s reports to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
For additional information, we refer you to the risk factors set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Form 10-Q filed by Atlas Air Worldwide with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other factors and assumptions not identified above may also affect the forward-looking statements, and these other factors and assumptions may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed.
Except as stated in this release, Atlas Air Worldwide is not providing guidance or estimates regarding its anticipated business and financial performance for 2021 or thereafter.
Atlas Air Worldwide assumes no obligation to update such statements contained in this release to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such estimates other than as required by law and expressly disclaims any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or circumstances.
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Left to right is: Sam Phillips (Station Supervisor, AMZ), Migdoel Ocasio (Station Supervisor, AMZ), Kimberly Smith (Station Manager, AMZ) and Richard Bartlett (Station Supervisor, AMZ).
Atlas Air’s partnership with Amazon hit a new milestone in August when the ecommerce giant opened its newest and largest air hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).
Atlas operates four daily flights from the hub, which serves as the nucleus of Amazon’s U.S. air cargo business spanning more than 40 airports nationwide. All four of the Atlas flights are identified by the call letters KCVG.
Atlas Air’s relationship with Amazon began in 2016, with a 10-year agreement to operate 20 B767 300 aircraft. Atlas and Southern Air are among five airlines operating flights for Amazon Air, the cargo airline operating exclusively to transport Amazon packages
Kim Smith, Station Manager, Ground Operations at CVG, manages the day-to-day operations at the hub for Atlas, where she oversees a team of 16 employees working on 747s, 767s, 737 and 777s.
“My team is very excited about the new hub,” Kim said. “It’s been a fantastic experience for the Atlas and Amazon ground crews to work together and collaborate.”
Profile of a Prime Air plane during the day.
The hub is currently in a soft-opening phase, limited to domestic-only day shift flights, primarily serving the West Coast. Amazon plans to be up and running 24/7 withinternational flights by March 2022. The hub has the capacity to handle up to 100 flights and millions of packages each week.
The $1.5 billion air hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport blends state-of-the-art robotics technology with a team of up to 2,000 employees to deliver packages at lightning-fast speeds. Amazon’s investment has created more than 18,000 jobs in Kentucky.
According to an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer (available to subscribers), the hub uses hundreds of mobile robots resembling supersized Roombas with loading decks on top to help sort and deliver packages, which according to Amazon, transports packages across a facility three football stadiums in size.
Front view of a Prime Air plane in the evening.
“I love seeing growth in the aviation industry,” Kim said. “It’s been very satisfying to watch the operation grow bigger each day.”
Purchase, N.Y., November 1, 2021 – Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAWW) congratulates two members of its Board of Directors, Bobby J. Griffin and Sheila A. Stamps, on being named to Savoy Magazine’s 2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors.
“We congratulate Bobby and Sheila on this well-deserved recognition,” said John W. Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide. “We are fortunate to have their valuable insight, leadership and unique perspectives on our board, and we are stronger as a company because of their exceptional contributions.”
Mr. Griffin, an Atlas Board member since 2016, currently serves as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee. Mr. Griffin’s experience includes serving in several executive positions with Ryder System, Inc., including President of International Operations. Prior to Ryder, Mr. Griffin was an executive at ATE Management and Service Company, Inc., which was acquired by Ryder in 1986. Mr. Griffin also serves as Director of Hanesbrands Inc., United Rentals, Inc., where he is Lead Independent Director, and WESCO International, Inc.
Ms. Stamps, who has been an Atlas Board member since 2018, currently serves as Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee. She was Executive Vice President at DBI LLC and has had a distinguished career at various financial institutions, including serving as a Managing Director at Bank of America (formerly, FleetBoston Financial Corporation) and an executive with Bank One Corporation (now, JP Morgan Chase & Co.). Ms. Stamps also serves as a Director of CIT Group, Inc., CIT Bank N.A., and Pitney Bowes Inc. She serves on the Board Advisory Services Faculty of the National Association of Corporate Directors and is recognized as a NACD Board Leadership Fellow.Their recognition among the 2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors is featured in the fall issue of Savoy Magazine.
About Atlas Air Worldwide:
Atlas Air Worldwide is a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services. It is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc., Southern Air Holdings, Inc. and Titan Aviation Holdings, Inc., and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. Our companies operate the world’s largest fleet of 747 freighter aircraft and provide customers the broadest array of Boeing 747, 777, 767 and 737 aircraft for domestic, regional and international cargo and passenger operations.
Atlas Air Worldwide’s press releases, SEC filings and other information may be accessed through the company’s home page, www.atlasairworldwide.com.
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(L-R) Mick Clements, Director Sales & Customer Support, EMEIA Sales & Marketing, Michael Steen and Richard Broekman, SVP, Global Sales and Commercial Development.
Leaders and industry experts from across the aviation industry travelled to Dublin, Ireland for the IATA’s 2021 World Cargo Symposium to learn about the latest trends and issues impacting air cargo.
The Symposium featured plenary sessions, specialized streams, workshops and executive summits, focusing on Technology & Innovation, Security & Customs, Cargo Operations and Sustainability – key priorities to ensure the air cargo industry remains resilient post-COVID-19 pandemic.
Michael Steen, Chief Commercial Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide and President and Chief Executive Officer, Titan Aviation Holdings and Peter Penseel, Chief Operations Officer, Airfreight CEVA addressed the priority of modernization on the panel titled “Challenges and Opportunities: Air Cargo Transformation,” which was moderated by Lionel van der Walt, Global Chief Commercial Officer, PayCargo.
Michael Steen speaking on the panel alongside fellow panelist Peter Penseel, Chief Operations Officer, Airfreight CEVA, and moderator Lionel van der Walt, Global Chief Commercial Officer, PayCargo.
A key theme from the discussion was the need for airfreight stakeholders to embrace change to reach digitalization goals.
As reported by Air Cargo World, when asked at the panel to rate the air cargo industry on digitalization, both Michael and Peter put the industry at around five on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the most digitalized.
“Despite all of the achievements in the past 18 months that air cargo players can be proud of, there is still much to do in terms of adjusting and managing processes as well as collaborating more actively across the entire air cargo supply chain,” said Michael.
He continued, “People are very often the inhibitor of change or development and it can be based on anecdotes or reality that is not necessarily correct. I think that’s one of the big challenges that we have to overcome.”
Peter agreed, adding that, “The industry has long been hampered by an unwillingness among stakeholders to enable easier communication and cooperation through data sharing. Individual stakeholders fear losing their competitive advantage by sharing their data with potential competitors, but if we really want to make steps, big data and cooperation with the parties in the supply chain will be essential.”
Atlas branding at the event.
“I think [digitalization is] critical in so many aspects, because it doesn’t only have to do with your own effectiveness and efficiency as a company,” said Michael. “It drives innovation, it drives relationships, and it drives some of your importance or the role that you play in the industry. So, if you are going to be relevant in the future, you have to invest.”
Tom (right) spent his 40th birthday flying with First Officer Michael Schrader. The two FOs were in flight school together.
In this edition of “In the Cockpit,” meet Atlas Air 747 First Officer Tom Cross, whose love for flying began at the age of two. Tom launched his career in Ground Operations and just recently transitioned to the cockpit. He put his first landing in the logbook early in the morning of his 40th birthday.
How did you get involved in aviation and when did you decide to pursue it as a career?
I have always loved aviation. My first flight was when my family and I moved from Germany to the United States. I was only two years old and ever since then, I have had a fascination with airplanes.
My first job in aviation was as a luggage handler at an aircraft ground handling company. I was 19 and spent the next few years unloading baggage, de-icing airplanes, and guiding push backs at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
As I continued to build my career in Ground Operations, I began taking flying lessons for fun. While working as a Loadmaster, which put me inside the cockpit of the DC-10, MD-11 and 747 travelling the world, I realized I should focus on pursuing my passion and become a pilot.
Next steps included getting my instrument rating at California Airways in Hayward, California and attending ATP flight school for my multi-engine and commercial certificates and three flight instructor certificates. Once that was all done, I began teaching at The Flight School, Inc., so I could get my flying hours.
While I was finishing up my flight training, I also worked at World Airways – eventually becoming Chief Loadmaster and Head of Ground Ops – and pursued a degree in aviation at Utah Valley University.
Tom’s dogs Poe and Obi.
In the Fall of 2020, I found Atlas; I applied for a job and started flying the 747 in April 2021. Although it was a new job, it felt like coming home. So many of my former colleagues in Ground Operations are also here. It was a very comfortable transition.
What’s your most memorable moment in aviation?
The first time I took off on IOE (initial operating experience) after finishing my simulator training. I was en route from Chicago to Cincinnati and about two minutes into the flight it hit me that I was flying the plane!
Most interesting cargo you’ve ever flown?
I have flown everything from toilet paper to satellites, to missiles, and ship propellors. At a previous airline, we flew elephants to a wildlife sanctuary, which I enjoyed.
Lake Michigan and the Mackinac Bridge, Tom’s favorite place to watch the sun set.
What is your favorite origin point?
Grand Rapids is my favorite origin point, since it’s my home. I love flying but I value my time off too. I like to golf, hunt, play with my dogs and spend time at the lake. I also love going to University of Michigan football games.
What is your favorite destination?
I love Paris. When I was working for World Air, we had a partnership with Air France and I spent a lot of time in Paris. I fell in love with the city.
What is the best place to watch planes land?
If you want variety, go to JFK (John F. Kennedy Airport) where you can see all sorts of planes landing. Another great spot is at the end of the G Concourse at O’Hare. All the heavy and international planes land on Runway 28 Center, which is fun to watch.
Tom freezing in a tent during deer hunting season.
What is your favorite place to watch a sunset – in the air or on the ground?
On the ground, somewhere up on Lake Michigan in Traverse City. It’s a spectacular view.
What’s your favorite part of being a pilot?
There are these fleeting moments when you are flying, and you look out the window and you see something amazing, like the Northern Lights, or Greenland without any clouds over it. The opportunity to see all these amazing landmarks below makes all the sacrifice and hard work worth it.
Ice/warming packs shaped like Atlas airplanes.
Atlas employees work every day to make a difference in their jobs, but sometimes their work has an impact far beyond all expectations.
That was the case this summer, when the Atlas Benefits Team sent a mailer to employees’ homes. These mailers, along with webinars and other communication outreach, are intended to inform employees about the many Benefits programs and health and wellness offerings available to them and their families.
This particular mailer, focused on skin cancer awareness, contained sunscreen and an ice pack in the shape of an airplane with an Atlas Air logo. When the package arrived at the Des Moines, Iowa home of 767 Captain David Cameron and his wife Ronda, what began as a clever piece of promotional merchandise turned into something more.
Ronda, a Registered Nurse, works in the Ambulatory Surgery Center at the Mercy One Medical Center in Des Moines. Half of the patients served at the surgery center are children. Procedures range from emergency surgeries following accidents and dog bites, plastic surgery for cleft lips and innovative new therapies for children with Cerebral Palsy. For those pediatric patients, many of the post-procedure protocols call for ice to be applied to the area where the surgery or procedure took place. So when Ronda opened the Atlas Air airplane-shaped ice packs, she was inspired.
“Traditional hospital ice packs can be scary for children,” Ronda said. “They are large and present one more time when the patient has to be touched. When I saw the plane-shaped ice pack that arrived from Atlas, it was a real ah-ha moment. I immediately thought that these would be a wonderful way to connect with patients in a less intimidating way.”
Ronda reached out to the Benefits team to inquire about how she could get similar ice packs sent to Mercy One Medical Center. Members of Atlas’ Benefits team thought this might be an appropriate time to pivot and coordinated the donation of the Human Resource Department’s remaining quantity of ice packs to the children at Mercy One Medical Center.
Within a week, 1,600 ice/warming packs shaped like Atlas airplanes arrived at the Ambulatory Surgery Center.
“Because we received so many ice packs, we shared them with our Pediatric Emergency Room, Child Life Specialists, Pediatric In-Patient Unit and the Mercy One Main Operating Room (OR), as they too serve a number of children with conditions more serious in nature,” Ronda said.
Ronda thanked Atlas on behalf of her team and colleagues, knowing the positive impacts these small, cheerfully shaped ice packs would have on patients while at the hospital and at home.
As David listened to his wife talk about the donation to Mercy One, he reflected on his own family and said, “Over the years we have had a couple of medical issues ourselves, and Atlas has always taken care of us. We’ve seen a real commitment from the Company to take care of their people.” When asked for a photo of Ronda and her team with the donated ice packs, David, an 11-year employee with Atlas, said of his wife, “You will have to work hard to get Ronda in the photo, because she prefers to remain in the background.”
Ronda just smiled.
When reflecting on when his dream to fly the 747 first took flight, Captain Jesse Cervantes credits his parents.
“My father spent his entire career in management at a Colombian airline so I was exposed to aviation at a very early age,” Jesse recalled. “And, because visiting family and staying connected with them was so important to my mother, I was only 40 days old when I took my first flight. We traveled a lot as a result of the benefits from my father’s job, and whenever I was on an airplane, I begged to see the cockpit. I was mesmerized by all the instruments.”
Growing up in Colombia, Jesse also learned about the importance of a strong work ethic at a young age.
“Colombians are hard workers,” said Jesse. “We are very resourceful and aren’t afraid of challenges. We believe that hard work is the key to success.”
That resourcefulness – which may just be in Jesse’s DNA – is what Jesse relied on to make his dream come true.
After moving to the United States, Jesse initially pursued a career in hotel hospitality. But he just wasn’t completely content.
Captain Jesse Cervantes in cockpit.
“My dream was to fly the 747, and I knew I wasn’t going to be truly happy unless I tried to make that dream come true.”
Realizing that dreams take time, Jesse stayed focused.
He enrolled in flight school in Florida and earned his commercial pilot’s license. Unfortunately, jobs were scarce at the time, so Jesse made the decision to return to Colombia, where he received his International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) license. He spent 10 years flying the DHC-6, the B727, the RJ-100 and the DC-8.
In April of 2000, Jesse returned to the United States to take a job with Polar, where he began flying the 747-400. He transitioned to Atlas Air in 2001 and upgraded to Captain in 2005.
“My path wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t completely linear, but I am doing exactly what I dreamed of doing,” said Jesse. “Everything I did, every sacrifice I made during the 10 years it took me to get the job with Polar was completely worth it. I am very grateful for all that I have achieved and for all that I have today.”
“My approach to life – all aspects of it – is tied to my Colombian upbringing. My mother instilled a sense of gratitude in me,” Jessie said. “And my father, throughout all his years at his airline, taught me about commitment and loyalty. My heritage influences how I live my life and approach my job here at Atlas.”
Atlas Air N464MC at night at Dulles International Airport (IAD) in August, during the relief missions.
On Thursday, September 16, at 09:54 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST), Atlas Air N464MC landed at Marana, Ariz. (MZJ). Its final stop was the “boneyard,” where it was to be parked and parted out in the desert, likely never to fly again.
The aircraft was manufactured in February of 1992 and first delivered to Japan Airlines. Atlas took delivery in 2011 and N464MC officially joined Atlas in October of that year.
For years, N464MC was a workhorse, flying more than 24,500 block hours on 4,460 flights, through 247 cities, and serving many customers including the United States military, collegiate and professional sports teams, corporate charters, cruise ship companies, and more.
“Atlas Air took great pride in supporting Garuda Indonesia with N464MC during the yearly Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia,” said Kevin Sarubbe, Senior Vice President, System Operations.
N464MC in MIA at an A Check in January of 2016.
According to Mike Henry, Senior Director Maintenance Planning and Records, a rigorous schedule of safety and maintenance checks – 64 maintenance events in all – kept N464MC operating safely and smoothly all these years.
It’s this commitment to upkeep that keeps the airplane “airworthy,” even in its retirement.
“For the next few months, we’ll be removing certain components and adding them to our inventory to support the rest of our fleet, including the newer 747s we recently acquired,” explained Mike.
Atlas Air and Southern Air planes at the “boneyard” in Arizona.
Most recently, N464MC carried 1,570 evacuees from Afghanistan to safety in the United States.
“Those final missions served as a very noble ending for N464MC,” said Mike Reingold, Passenger Service Representative Supervisor, who launched his career on this very aircraft and was honored to service it until the end.
Click here for video captured by Mike Henry, of N464MC’s arrival into Marana, Ariz.
Click here for First Officer Brian Wade’s account of the aircraft’s final flight into Ramstein Air Base (RMS).
464MC pictured with Atlas colleagues Mike Henry (left) and Mike Reingold (right).
Global health service leader Cigna has named Atlas a recipient of this year’s Cigna Well-Being Award for our strong commitment to improve the health and well-being of our colleagues through Wellness Matters, our workplace wellness program.
The annual Cigna Well-Being Award process is highly competitive. Applicants are evaluated based on the core components of their well-being programs, including leadership engagement, company culture, strategy and goals, implementation, and employee engagement. All applications are scored and reviewed by a panel of Cigna health promotion experts.
“A lot of companies seek out this award,” said Paula Kelly, Manager, Employee Health and Welfare Benefits. “The Cigna team encouraged us to apply because of the breadth of programs we offer to our employees.”
“We understand the important role employee well-being plays in a company’s success and the relationship between a more productive, satisfied workforce and business performance,” Paula continued. “This past year, we grew the Atlas wellness program significantly. We challenged ourselves to think outside the box when our employees weren’t able to go to the gym or to their usual fitness classes at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We did our research and worked with a number of providers to find ways to deliver a range of virtual courses, such as yoga, core workouts, walking programs and more in order to meet the different interests of our employees.”
The Company’s health and wellness offerings have since expanded to include classes on meditation, workshops on anxiety, sleep and nutrition and financial webinars. The Atlas Benefits team partners with the Mayo Clinic, White Plains Hospital, WalkingSpree, Culture of Fit and Procyon Partners to bring a diverse set of offerings to employees almost every day.
According to Cigna research, well-being programs have the ability to transform company culture and change lives. Cigna’s recent “Resilience Study” found that most well-being programs yield a positive return on investment by lowering health care costs, reducing absenteeism and delivering improved productivity gains.
“At Atlas, we recognize the importance of holistic health management and support our employees with a number of tools and resources,” said Miriam Soave, Senior Director, Benefits and Compensation. “Paula’s commitment to employee wellness has truly elevated us as a company. We have received great feedback across the organization and are excited about bringing new ideas to life in 2022.”
Juan and his family gather to celebrate their heritage at an annual fall barbecue.
Juan Ortiz, Jr. has been a part of the Atlas family for more than 20 years, starting in 1999 as Duty Manager. Over the last two decades, he’s supported both Atlas and Polar as certain operations were combined or shifted. In March of 2020, Juan assumed his current role as Senior Manager, Express Network Operations for Polar.
Being part of the Atlas and Polar family is second nature for Juan, who hails from a large family himself. He credits his parents’ emphasis on hard work, family, and integrity for how he approaches his work every day.
“My parents are from Puerto Rico, but they met here, in the Bronx, fell in love, and started a family. They worked really hard to make the best life possible for me and my three older siblings,” he said.
“My father, like many Hispanic immigrants, came to the United States to improve his life. His first job was as a dishwasher at the Rockefeller Center restaurant ‘Down and Under.’ He took great pride in working there as part of a community of Hispanic immigrants from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and countries across South America. For 30 years, he never complained once about his work, his coworkers, or the management team. I saw it from a young age and learned that working hard and being humble was the path to success.”
Juan also learned early on that family should always be a top priority. Coincidentally, it was the importance Juan’s parents placed on family that led Juan to aviation.
“When I was 12, my mom took me and my cousin to Puerto Rico for the first time to visit with extended family – it was my first time setting foot in an airplane,” Juan recalled. “It was a PanAm 747, and the flight attendant took me to see the upper deck. I was completely amazed by the aircraft and the feeling of being up in the air and inflight. From that moment on, I knew whatever I did in life had to involve planes.”
As a result of that trip, Juan set his sights on Aviation High School in Queens, New York. He applied when he was 14 years old and spent a grueling day taking proficiency exams, completing skills assessments related to math, engineering and mechanics, and participating in a one-on-one interview and oral examination, where he knew how he presented himself was as important as what he knew. He relied on the influence of his parents to be confident but humble, kind, and enthusiastic.
Juan was accepted to the highly competitive high school, one of only two in New York City that licensed students as FAA mechanics.
After high school graduation, Juan enlisted in the Marines on the airwing side, whereas part of Aviation Operations, he worked with both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
Following the Marines, Juan joined Tower Air, where he held multiple roles including FAA flight dispatcher, system control, loadmaster, and passenger service representative. He was with Tower until he joined Atlas. In reflecting on his career, Juan shared, “I have been so fortunate to spend my entire career in aviation, a field I love, with the ability to take on new roles, learn new things and collaborate with great people. We all hail from different walks of life but what we share is a passion for flight and an interest in solving challenges and helping people.”
As Senior Manager of Polar’s Express Network Operations, Juan works closely with the EOC (Express Operations Center) in CVG (Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky Airport) and serves as the direct liaison with Brussels to oversee the network schedules. In addition, he manages the first 24-72 hour flight period to make sure scheduled service operates on time and that Polar’s DHL Express client has a direct line of sight into all flights at all times. Juan is also responsible for long-range planning and is currently working on Spring and Summer 2022 schedules.
“What I enjoy most about my role is that no two days are the same. I have to know the ins and outs of every flight, back-up plans, contingency routes, what’s being shipped, what the requirements are, and what aspects outside of our control might impact on-time performance,” Juan explained. “As a result, each day presents a new opportunity to think differently. That’s what makes it so exciting.”
Juan said his Hispanic heritage serves as an important foundation for his career success.
Juan’s shirt features a tribute to his ma and pa.
“I treat my colleagues like family, just like my dad did. We spend a lot of time together; we rely on each other’s strengths, and we support each other,” he said. “Additionally, speaking Spanish has helped tremendously in my international role. Communicating with people in their primary language can help them feel more comfortable, especially if there’s a challenge to overcome.”
Juan and his family make time to gather together to celebrate their heritage every fall. With his wife and five children, his three siblings, and their spouses and children, they honor his now-deceased parents who worked so hard to give them the best opportunities.
They prepare family favorites including pernil, arroz con gandules (rice with chickpeas), pasteles, octopus salad as well as a few traditional American barbecue selections such as hot dogs and hamburgers. The entire family dons t-shirts featuring the Puerto Rican flag and a special tribute for Juan’s ma and pa.
