What Happened To US Cargo Carrier Southern Air?

The cargo sector of the commercial aviation industry is one that has blossomed even amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. When it comes to such operations in the US, the likes of FedEx and UPS are among the dominant forces. However, the country is also home to several smaller cargo carriers that help to keep it moving. One of these was Southern Air.

Dating back to the 1940s

Southern Air’s roots lie in another US-based cargo carrier with a slightly longer name. Southern Air Transport (SAT) came into existence in 1947, initially operating as a Miami-based charter airline that flew cargo to the Bahamas. By 1960, it was a three-aircraft affair that was suffering from significant debts. However, it was offered an unlikely lifeline. This came in the form of an acquisition by the US Central Intelligence Agency.

Otherwise known as the CIA, this government body owned Southern Air Transport until 1973. During this time, the carrier grew considerably, before re-entering private ownership. In the mid-1980s, it was caught up in arms transportation to Iran and Central America.

Moving into the 1990s, 1994 saw the company relocate its headquarters from Miami to Columbus, Ohio. Despite this, it filed for bankruptcy in 1998, following a failed merger with other carriers. However, a year later, a newly-formed carrier named Southern Air picked up the pieces when it acquired SAT’s assets under the leadership of James Neff.

An all-Boeing fleet

The newly-established Southern Air commenced operations later that year, in November 1999. Its predecessor had operated a diverse fleet, consisting of aircraft from manufacturers including Boeing, Curtiss, Douglas, and Lockheed. However, Southern Air took a more uniform approach to its fleet. This resulted in it choosing to solely operate Boeing aircraft.

According to data from ch-aviation.com and ATDB.aero, the Boeing designs that Southern Air operated cargo versions of were aircraft from the 737, 747, and 777 families. The most numerous of these freighters was the 747-200, which its predecessor had also flown. Southern’s planes wore various liveries, due to operating on behalf of other companies.

Atlas Air purchased Southern Air in April 2016. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying   
 

Merged into Atlas Air

The companies for which Southern Air’s planes have flown over the years include Amazon Air, Thai Cargo, and even logistics giant DHL. The airline’s work with the latter of these came about in 2011. This was when it signed a contract to enhance DHL’s overnight operations at hubs such as Anchorage, Bahrain, Cincinnati, and Hong Kong, using its Boeing 777s.

Southern Air’s history was slightly turbulent at times. Despite merging Cargo 360 into its operations in 2007, the carrier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection five years later. It exited this in early 2013. Atlas Air purchased the airline in April 2016, which ultimately led to Southern Air being merged into Atlas’s operations. This was completed in November 2021, bringing SAT/Southern Air’s interesting and varied history to a close.

What are your memories of Southern Air? Did you ever see one of the carrier’s aircraft in action? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

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