Small family-owned cargo carrier Ryan Air Alaska (7S, Aniak) has joined forces with cargo specialist Saltchuk Aviation, which is bolstering its Alaska presence and plans to grow its widebody fleet and services, the company announced on social media.

"Saltchuk Aviation continues to grow and add to the array of services we can offer our customers. We're thrilled to welcome Ryan Air [Alaska] into our family of companies, and we're looking forward to the future!" the company stated.

The details of the deal were not disclosed. On inquiry, a spokesperson for Saltchuk Aviation could only confirm that Ryan Air Alaska joined "our family of companies in December 2022".

Saltchuk Aviation President and Chief Executive Officer Betsy Seaton told Cargo Facts at the recent International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) Americas Conference in San Diego that the company would strengthen its support for its customer base and core markets after taking ownership of Ryan Air Alaska while growing its own medium-haul widebody fleet of B767-300Fs. According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Ryan Air Alaska owns two Saab 340A(F)s.

Saltchuk also owns Northern Air Cargo (NC, Anchorage Ted Stevens), Alaska's largest scheduled all-cargo airline that operates an all-Boeing fleet of ten freighters, including four B767-300ER(BDSF)s, two B767-300ER(BCF)s, one B737-300(SF), one B737-400(F), one B737-400(SF), and one B737-800(SF), the ch-aviation fleets module reveals.

It also owns Aloha Air Cargo (KH, Honolulu) in Hawaii, while StratAir (Miami International) is its Florida-based air freight company providing scheduled and charter air cargo operations throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America as well as ground handling and warehouse operations in Miami. Aloha Tech Ops and Northern Air Maintenance Services are the company's two Federal Aviation Administration-certified repair stations in Honolulu and Anchorage.

According to company information, Saltchuk Aviation is owned by Saltchuk Resources, a family-owned essential services transportation provider.