Under new ownership, US’s 21 Air plots cargo sector growth

Following a change in overall ownership, 21 Air (2I, Greensboro) has asked the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to lift its fleet-size restrictions and allow the North Carolina-based cargo carrier to grow.

In its heavily redacted application lodged last week, 21 Air said it is now wholly-owned by Avia Acquisitions, LLC which is itself wholly-owned by Avia Investments, LLC – a 75/25 joint venture between James Crane (now 21 Air’s chairman) and Canada’s Cargojet Airways (W8, Hamilton, ON). DOT records show the airline was last owned by Florida-based Apple Aviation, LLC which was a 75/25 split between former chairman Adolfo Moreno and former president/CEO Michael Mendez. Although the exact date of the transaction was not revealed, Cargojet did confirm on August 11 that it had completed its strategic minority investment in 21 Air.

As such, with the change in hands and a restructuring of the organisation in the last year, 21 Air is now planning to grow its fleet from its current maximum of five aircraft to 10, in order to expand its services as well as diversify its end-customer base. In particular, it is also working to become a crew, maintenance, and insurance (CMI) operator for an unspecified US cargo carrier with a strong presence in the e-commerce sector.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows 21 Air operates four in-house aircraft – one B767-200(BDSF), two B767-200(ERBDSF)s (with one more wet-leased in from Cargojet), and one B767-300(ERBCF). Of the aircraft, the two B767-200(ERBDSF)s operate for Cargojet while the B767-300(ERBCF) operates for LATAM Cargo Chile. In terms of overall end-customer, DHL Express employs three of the B767-200 freighters.

21 Air’s projections show it is looking to add five B767-300 freighters (subvariant not specified) with the first due in 4Q21 and remainder spread equally through each quarter of 2022. While the source of the aircraft was not revealed, Cargojet has said in the past that it would use a US-based AOC to avoid new Canadian pilot fatigue regulations.

“21 Air expects to reach its legal limit of five aircraft in service in October 2021. Accordingly, a timely review and decision to accommodate the Holiday Season would be greatly appreciated,” it urged the DOT.