Atlas Air (5Y, New York JFK) is negotiating with the Alaskan government a 55-year lease for a large piece of undeveloped land on the West Airpark side of Anchorage Ted Stevens to build a dedicated cargo base, according to a public notice published by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.
The freighter specialist proposes a deal allowing it to develop the area for over half a century at an annual rent of USD532,785 and has requested authorisation to develop an area for aircraft parking, aircraft fuelling, cargo offloading and loading, warehousing, ground handling, aircraft technical support, line maintenance, flight crew operations base, regional office, and ground support equipment storage and repair unit.
According to the filing, the lease term would end on July 31, 2079. The lease terms are currently under negotiation. Atlas chief executive Michael Steen told FreightWaves that Anchorage is expected to become an entry point for the booming cargo market between North America and Asia.
“So we’re investing in expanded facilities when it comes to maintaining our operation right, both from a technical perspective and a flight operations perspective and a ground handling perspective, accommodating the growth that we have there with dedicated parking spaces for our aircraft,” he said.
Steen added that Atlas Air expects to increase its overall number of departures by 40% next year due to growing global trade links. The company secured USD90 million in financing in July to acquire three more B747-400(F)s. Its fleet comprises 97 aircraft - eight B737-800(BCF)s, five B747-400s, forty-three B747-400Fs, eleven B747-8Fs, five B767-300ERs, six B767-300ER(BCF)s, eleven B767-300ER(BDSF)s, and eight B777-200Fs.
