The Agreement to operate the charter was reached with SonAir - Servico Aereo, S.A. (SonAir), acting as agent for the USAEA.
Atlas will operate the charter service with two newly customized Boeing 747-400 aircraft provided by SonAir's parent company, which are being reconfigured into largely business and executive class configuration. The charter service, which has become known as the "Houston Express," includes three dedicated weekly non-stop flights between Houston and Luanda, Angola. While it is not open to the public, it provides USAEA members with a non-stop transportation link to support complex long-term projects in the West African energy sector.
The parties have structured the long-term commercial arrangement in a manner consistent with the outsourcing business model under which Atlas Air typically operates. Under that model, Atlas Air receives contractually determined revenues for the operation of the aircraft, with the customer assuming responsibility for passenger revenue and certain direct costs, including fuel.
"Atlas Air, Inc. is proud and honored to have been selected to operate these newly customized Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft," said William J. Flynn, President & CEO, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. "Our dedication to our customers and record of reliability and operational excellence as the largest Boeing 747-400 freighter provider in the world have set the stage for this next and important step for our company into outsourced, charter passenger service. We look forward to working closely and cooperatively with SonAir to make the Houston Express a world-class service."
SonAir is a subsidiary of Sonangol Group, the multinational energy company of Angola and a member of the USAEA. USAEA's members include many of the leading U.S. energy companies involved in the exploration and development of petroleum resources in West Africa.
AAWW is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc. (Atlas) and Titan Aviation Leasing Limited (Titan), and is the majority shareholder of Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (Polar).
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