Southern Air Inc. was a global air cargo carrier headquartered in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

, Kentucky. It was the first airline to provide wet leasing (ACMI) services using the wide-body Boeing 777F freighter. On November 17, 2021, Southern Air ceased operations upon its merger into Atlas Air. The airline operated an all-Boeing fleet of aircraft, including the Boeing 777F and the Boeing 737-800BCF. Its wide range of services included long-term wet leasing (ACMI), on-demand commercial charters, and Department of Defense Civil Reserve Air Fleet. Southern Air’s operations also supported some of the world’s largest combination carriers as well as government agencies and non-government organizations.

History

The airline was established on March 5, 1999, by James Neff, out of the assets of Southern Air Transport. The carrier started operations in November 1999. On September 7, 2007, Oak Hill Capital Partners acquired majority ownership of Southern Air and merged Cargo 360 into the airline. In early 2010, Southern Air took delivery of two Boeing 777F freighters. At the same time, Southern Air introduced a new aircraft livery as well as new corporate branding. In early 2011, Southern Air entered into a multiple year contract with DHL Aviation; by utilizing the Boeing 777, Southern Air was able to augment DHL's overnight express package delivery service through hubs in

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

and

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, increasing package delivery options provided by DHL to its customers. The same year, Southern Air gradually retired its fleet of Boeing 747-200, 747-300 and 747-400BDSF models. On 28 September 2012, Southern Air filed for

Chapter 11 Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, w ...

bankruptcy protection and emerged from bankruptcy in early 2013. In 2014, Southern Air took delivery of five 737-400SF passenger-to-cargo converted aircraft. On April 7, 2016, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings purchased Southern Air for $110 million in an all-cash deal. The transaction included Worldwide Air Logistics Group, Inc. and its two operating subsidiaries, Southern Air, Inc. and Florida West International Airways, Inc. On November 17, 2021, Southern Air became fully integrated into Atlas Air through an airline merger, ending a long history of airline operations.

Fleet

Southern Air operated the following aircraft: File:Southern Air Boeing 747-200 KvW.jpg, Southern Air Boeing 747-200 File:Southern Air Boeing 777F N774SA.jpg, Southern Air Boeing 777 Freighter operated for

DHL DHL (originally named after founders Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) is a multinational Import-Export Expert Company, founded in the United States and headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It provides courier, package delivery, and express mail service, ...

Boeing 737-800 BCF, Paris Air Show 2019, Le Bourget (SIAE1177).jpg, Southern Air Boeing 737-800BCF operated for Amazon Air File:Boeing 777-FZB, Thai Cargo (Southern Air) AN1961620.jpg, Southern Air Boeing 777 Freighter operated for Thai Cargo

References

External links

Official website (archived February 23, 2017)
{{Airlines of the United States Defunct cargo airlines of the United States Airlines established in 1947 Airlines disestablished in 2021 1947 establishments in the United States 2021 disestablishments in Kentucky Airlines based in Kentucky Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012 Transportation in Boone County, Kentucky Florence, Kentucky Companies based in Boone County, Kentucky