Atlas Air, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, is a cargo airline, passenger charter airline, and aircraft lessor based in Purchase in Harrison, New York. The airline was named after Atlas, a Titan in Greek mythology. The symbol on the tail of their aircraft is a golden man carrying a golden world. With a total combined fleet of 54 Boeing 747 aircraft, Atlas is the world's largest operator of this fleet type. In 2016, the airline had 3,259 employees and operates across 425 destinations in 119 countries.
Atlas Air began operations in 1992. The airline's founder, Michael Chowdry, started by leasing aircraft to other airlines on an Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) contract basis. The first customer, China Airlines, contracted one airplane to start ACMI service in 1993. By 1995, Atlas Air began trading publicly and in 1997, Atlas placed an order for ten new Boeing 747-400F aircraft. Orders for another two 747-400Fs were placed in 1998.
On January 30, 2004, Atlas Air Worldwide entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In July 2004, the parent company completed its restructuring plan and emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Livery
Boeing 747-47UF, registration N480MC, built 1998, serial number 29261 Schiphol (AMS/EHAM), Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 12 June 2016
