Polar Air Cargo

For the Russian aviation company, see Polar Airlines.

Polar Air Cargo Worldwide Inc. is a cargo airline based in Purchase, New York, United States.^[2] It operates scheduled all-cargo services to North America, Asia, and Europe. Its main base is Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, with hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Narita International Airport and Incheon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea.^[3] Polar's parent company is Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings and DHL has a 49% equity interest in the airline.

Polar Air Cargo

IATA ICAO Call sign PO PAC POLAR
Founded	1993; 32 years ago (1993)
AOC #	P5CA067Y[1]
Hubs	Anchorage Cincinnati Hong Kong Los Angeles Seoul–Incheon Tokyo–Narita
Focus cities	Chicago–O'Hare Miami Nagoya–Centrair New York–JFK
Fleet size	6
Destinations	Worldwide
Parent company	Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (51%) DHL (49%)
Headquarters	Purchase, New York, United States
Key people	Michael Steen
Employees	210
Website	polaraircargo.com

History

A Polar Air Cargo Boeing 767-300ERF in DHL Express colors (2013)

Polar was formed in 1993 as a joint venture between Southern Air Transport and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). It started operations in June 1993 and began with charter flights, later adding scheduled services. During 1994, Polar was certified as a supplemental air carrier by the Federal Aviation Administration and on 4 July 1994 as a US all-cargo carrier by the United States Department of Transportation. After several years of continued growth, the remainder of the company was acquired by GECAS. ^{[citation needed]}

In November 2001, Polar was acquired by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (AAWW), whose Atlas Air subsidiary is a provider of ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) freighter leasing. Polar became the scheduled service provider for AAWW, while Atlas continued to supply Boeing 747-400 freighters on a wet-lease basis to major airlines. In October 2006, it was announced that DHL Express would be acquiring a 49% stake in Polar.^[4] As of March 2007^[update], Polar is still majority-owned by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (51%) and has 736 employees.^[3]

In April 2023, former Polar Air Cargo COO Lars Winkelbauer was arrested in Thailand and charged, along with 10 others, with defrauding the company of an estimated $52m.^[5]

In February 2025, Atlas Air and DHL announced that Polar Air Cargo would be dissolved, with the 4 747-8s and 2 777Fs in Polar’s fleet continuing to be operated by Atlas.^[6]

Destinations

A Polar Air Cargo Boeing 747-400F in DHL colors arrives at Hong Kong International Airport (2018).

Scheduled services

Polar provides scheduled freight service covering the transpacific, transatlantic, trans-Asia, and Middle East markets. Polar offers frequent flights to China, connecting Shanghai to the United States and multiple points in Asia and Europe, e.g., Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany and East Midlands Airport in the United Kingdom.^[7]

Charter services

Polar Air Cargo also offers its customers charter freight services, using its fleet of Boeing 747 and 767. Polar and its sister company, Atlas Air, also do extensive work for the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC).

Fleet

Current fleet

A Polar Air Cargo Boeing 747-400F at Narita International Airport (2008)

The Polar Air Cargo fleet consists of the following aircraft:^[8]

Polar Air Cargo fleet

Aircraft	In fleet	Orders	Notes
Boeing 747-8F	4	—	operating for DHL Aviation
Boeing 777F	2	—	operating for DHL Aviation
Total	6	—

Former fleet

Polar Air Cargo formerly operated the following aircraft:^{[citation needed]}

Polar Air Cargo former fleet

Aircraft	Total	Introduced	Retired	Notes
Boeing 747-100SF	14	1994	2006
Boeing 747-200F	4	1996	2006
Boeing 747-200SF	8	1999	2007
Boeing 747-300SF	2	2002	2004	Leased from Atlas Air
Boeing 747-400F	6	2000	2022	Leased in, airframes were redelivered to DHL Aviation
	3[citation needed]			Operated for Atlas Air
Boeing 767-300ERF	4	2014	2024	Final aircraft left service February 2024