AirNovaBAe146 From Canada, joined Jun 2008, 348 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 6880 times:
Quoting UAL727NE (Thread starter): Is Atlas Air going to be doing pax service now? Saw the pic on here of thier first 747-400. Coulnd't find anything on thier website.
It is the oil charter contract from IAH to Luanda, Angola.
It is a specially configured business class flight that World Airways previously operated with two MD-11s. Operates several times weekly.
Atlas is getting 2 pax B744s, but they'll just be providing the flight crew. I believe they are working in cooperation with an Angolan company whose name escapes me but they will provide the FAs.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined exactly 13 years ago today! , 22054 posts, RR: 51 Reply 2, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 6869 times:
n7371f From United States of America, joined Jul 2008, 1495 posts, RR: 12 Reply 3, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 6438 times:
Netjetsintl From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 593 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 6345 times:
Quoting AirNovaBAe146 (Reply 1): It is the oil charter contract from IAH to Luanda, Angola
how did they manage to steal that from World Airways???
srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51 Reply 5, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 6321 times:
Quoting AirNovaBAe146 (Reply 1): I believe they are working in cooperation with an Angolan company whose name escapes me but they will provide the FAs.
I'm a bit surprised that there isn't any Sonair titles on this a/c like there are on the WO a/c dedicated to this service (Although at times other MD-11s from the WO would be substituted.).
AirNovaBAe146 From Canada, joined Jun 2008, 348 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 6090 times:
Quoting Netjetsintl (Reply 4):
how did they manage to steal that from World Airways???
"Steal that from World Airways" probably isn't the correct world.
They likely underbid them, as this contract comes up for bid every couple of years.
Or, their bid could have been similar to World's, but with the added capacity of a B744.
In any case, Sonair went for Atlas, ending a long-standing relationship with World in the process.
Most of the global ACMI carriers (Atlas/Polar, Evergreen, Kalitta, Southern etc....) are constantly in competition for various contracts that appear in parts of the world every year or two.
COflyerBOS From United States of America, joined Jun 2007, 289 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 6054 times:
The Atlas 744 is going to be much more fun to spot at IAH.
There were some rumors ahwile ago that Atlas wanted to make this a commercial flight rather than contract. Any news on that front? Any news on the flight schedule?
MHTripple7 From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 1050 posts, RR: 5 Reply 8, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 5970 times:
Quoting COflyerBOS (Reply 7): There were some rumors ahwile ago that Atlas wanted to make this a commercial flight rather than contract. Any news on that front? Any news on the flight schedule?
I believe it was WO who actually applied for permission to operate a scheduled IAH-LAD service. However, I believe they did this to use as leverage in getting the new SonAir contract. According to the SonAir website, the schedule is as followed:
LAD-IAH: Dep 10:30 PM, Arr 7:00 AM (Tue, Thurs, Sat)
IAH-LAD: Dep 11:00 AM, Arri 8:30 AM (Mon, Wed, Fri)
Not sure how updated this is, however.
I would love to know how the inside of these 744s look.
SonAir doesn't even have an IATA code. How can this be possible yet they operate passenger flights? I believe they have 73Gs flying around Angola and are also banned from the EU. Very intriguing company...
BlueFlyer From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 3125 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 5870 times:
Quoting Netjetsintl (Reply 4): how did they manage to steal that from World Airways???
Sonair asked for some of their pilots to be "seconded" to the carrier to operate the flight. World said no, Atlas said yes, that's how.
The way World (and I, FWIW) sees it, SonAir is trying to sidestep the restrictions preventing it from operating to/from the US by hiding behind another carrier's AOC.
warren747sp From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 1132 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 5750 times:
Can the average person book a ticket and fly on this route or it is only open to specific companies?
drerx7 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 4906 posts, RR: 9 Reply 11, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 5630 times:
From what I understand it is a public charter - so you can book it, but you have to go through certain travel "agent" channels.
CX flyboy From Hong Kong, joined Dec 1999, 6341 posts, RR: 56 Reply 12, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 5323 times:
The previous Oasis interior was completely removed and a business-class style seating installed. Looks very nice apparently. The second aircraft has been delayed an sits with no seats at the moment. They have an option on a third 744 as well, also ex-Oasis although it is one which never actually entered into service with oasis.
MHTripple7 From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 1050 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 5080 times:
Quoting drerx7 (Reply 11): From what I understand it is a public charter - so you can book it, but you have to go through certain travel "agent" channels.
This is what I thought as well, however I just looked at the SonAir website and it says the following:
"Please be aware that in order to travel on the Houston Express, your company must be a member of the US Africa Energy Association."
airtran737 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3639 posts, RR: 12 Reply 14, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 4991 times:
Quoting BlueFlyer (Reply 9): Sonair asked for some of their pilots to be "seconded" to the carrier to operate the flight. World said no, Atlas said yes, that's how.
Atlas did not go for this. Son Air wanted an Angolan in the cockpit, but in order to do so they would have had to have FAA licensed pilots, and be hired at Atlas. For them to be hired that would require that the presently furloughed Atlas guys be recalled (which they have not), and the Angolans woul have to bid a monthly schedule (which they would never hold IAH-LAD because it will be a high demand route 30 block hours in three days).
Quoting Netjetsintl (Reply 4): how did they manage to steal that from World Airways???
There are a variety of reasons, of which I will not go into them.
Nice Trip Report!!! Great Pics, thanks for posting!!!! B747Forever
LAXintl From United States of America, joined exactly 13 years ago today! , 22054 posts, RR: 51 Reply 15, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 4957 times:
Quoting CX flyboy (Reply 12): Oasis interior was completely removed and a business-class style seating installed. Looks very nice apparently.
Yes I've seen the photos. Very spacious F10C139Y36 configuration with new Panasonic AVOD IFE.
Use of interior colors reminds me of Emirates with lots of tan/beige.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
netjetsintl From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 593 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 4822 times:
Quoting Netjetsintl (Reply 4): how did they manage to steal that from World Airways???
Quoting airtran737 (Reply 14): There are a variety of reasons, of which I will not go into them.
that's OK if you don't want to talk about it, no big deal, but now I'm curious
MHTripple7 From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 1050 posts, RR: 5 Reply 17, posted (3 years 2 months 3 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 4771 times:
Quoting LAXintl (Reply 15): Yes I've seen the photos. Very spacious F10C139Y36 configuration with new Panasonic AVOD IFE.
Use of interior colors reminds me of Emirates with lots of tan/beige.
You don't happen to know where one could find these photos do you?
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Yes I've seen the photos. Very spacious F10C139Y36 configuration with new Panasonic AVOD IFE. 
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