UK’s Atlantic Airlines and Sweden’s West Air Europe are to merge to form Europe’s largest regionalair cargo carrier under the name West Atlantic. The airline is an important uplift provider for
integrators in Europe.The owners of Gothenburg-based West Air Europe and Coventry-based Atlantic Airlines willexchange shareholdings to create the new entity which will be headquartered in Gothenburg. AtlanticAirlines, West Air Sweden and West Air Luxembourg will continue to trade separately but certain keyservices such as maintenance will be organised centrally under the merged ownership.
West Atlantic is expected to generate combined annual turnover of some €125 million.Employing some 500 people, it will have a fleet of 41 BAE ATP freighters and one ATR-72, each witheight tonnes capacity, six 15-tonne Lockheed Electra and two 7-tonne capacity Bombardier CRJ200PFaircraft.
The airlines are independently very solid and although operating exclusively in the Europeanfeeder air cargo sector, they are nevertheless very complementary. The West Air Europe airlines arevery strong in the Scandinavian postal markets, while Atlantic Airlines is equally strong in the UKpostal sector and the containerised conveyance of cargo. Both airlines already work extensively forthe integrators in the express sector, for example UPS.
Announcing the formation of West Atlantic, CEO Gustaf Thureborn said: “We have joined forcesto create this major new business as we wish to be the finest provider of efficient, cost-effectiveand reliable regional cargo airline services in Europe. Whilst the merger will create opportunitiesfor spreading our risks and achieving efficiencies through economies of scale, we look forward tobecoming an even more effective and reliable supplier to our customers.”
Russell Ladkin, Sales & Operations Director of the new company, added that the totalfocus on the regional airfreight market in Europe would continue: “We are enjoying complementarystrengths in the management team and are very fortunate to have the quality of staff needed toachieve our objectives.”
Both airlines have been in business for many years. Atlantic Airlines was an MBO from the AirAtlantique Group itself established in 1969, while West Air Sweden commenced cargo operations in1991. West Air Luxembourg started operating in 2003 and operates nine aircraft, mainly onintegrator contracts.
