Company Says New Freighter Aircraft Begins Next Phase Of Its Growth

Southern Air Holdings, Inc. announced the addition of two Boeing 777 Freighters to its fleet on Tuesday. The first 777 was delivered earlier this month and the second will be delivered to Southern Air on March 2 at which time Southern Air, THAI Cargo and Boeing executives, as well as customers and dignitaries, will celebrate the new airplanes at Boeing's assembly facility in Everett, Washington.

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Southern Air says the ongoing expansion and evolution of its fleet solidifies the company's position as one of the world's leading cargo carriers.

The 777 Freighters are the largest twin-engine freighters in the world, and are expected to offer a 17 to 28 percent fuel-per-ton advantage to other freighters. The 777s, which have payload capacity of more than 100 metric tons and more than 650 cubic meters, also have the longest range of any twin-engine freighter, which translates into fewer stops, shorter cargo delivery times and lower cargo handling costs for customers.

"The addition of these two Boeing 777s - the first to join our fleet - is a defining moment in the history of Southern Air that begins the next phase of the company's growth," said new CEO Daniel J. McHugh. "We are committed to investing in the future of our business, and the combination of the 777s and our 16 Boeing 747s makes Southern Air the first ACMI operator to feature a full fleet of current and next generation freighter aircraft. Our enhanced fleet will give us the ability to react even more quickly to our customers' needs."

Southern Air's customer base includes some of the world's largest combination cargo carriers and government agencies.

Thai Airways International (THAI), one of Asia's fastest growing cargo carriers, has entered into a block space agreement with Southern Air to utilize the full capacity of the first two 777s. THAI Cargo and Southern Air will officially announce the freighter operation in March at THAI Cargo's facility at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.

FMI: www.southernair.com