The Compass Cargo Airlines is the new joint-venture that the American Mesa Air Group, alongside Gramercy Associates Ltd, planned to launch in Europe. The first B737-800(SF), which was received by the cargo carrier on August 9, 2021, was registered to the Mesa Air Group in January 2021 as part of their contract to operate the aircraft for DHL.
The Bulgarian Compass Cargo took the delivery of its first B737 cargo aircraft registered as N288LR on the lease from GA Telesis, LLC after completing the conversion of the Boeing aircraft with Aeronautical Engineers Inc.(AEI) in Miami. The B737-800(SF) had been in Dothan for paint before arriving in Sofia, transiting through Bangor and Shannon.
The new Bulgarian carrier will apply for an EU AOC, and after completing its setup, the airlines has initial plans to start its services by the end of 2021.
Mesa Air and Gramercy Partnership
Mesa Air Group announced a conditional agreement with Gramercy Associated Ltd in March 2021 to launch their European-based joint venture.
Complying with the EU laws and regulations, the Mesa Air Group will own the 49% shares of the newly-found joint venture. Originally, Compass Cargo had planned to commence its service with the Bombardier CRJ-900s on the ACMI (Aircraft, Maintenance, Crew, and Insurance) flights. Still, their first aircraft, B737-800(SF), has been registered to the Mesa Air Group in January 2021 as part of their contract to operate for DHL, but as of now, it seems that the joint venture’s plans have changed.
Operating with the CPA(Capacity Purchase Agreement) deal with airlines in Europe for both passenger or cargo flights will broaden the range of the Mesa Air Group that flies regional aircraft for major airlines in the USA.
Announcement of Second B737-800SF Freighter
After just delivering its first B737-800SF freighter on August 9, the GA Telesis, Leasing, Investment, Financing & Trading(LIFT) announced the delivery of its second aircraft of the same variant to the Bulgarian Compass Cargo on August 10, 2021.
In the announcement of the delivery of the second B737, the President of LIFT, Marc Cho, shared the company’s contentment on partnering with the Compass Cargo Airiness. He added that LIFT is delighted to be able to support the airline’s B737-800SF needs to facilitate their expansion in the narrow body freighter segment.
Similarly, the Managing Director of Compass Cargo Airlines, Pentcho Pentchev, also stated how the GA Telesis is the ideal partner of Compass Cargo Airlines, supporting the carrier’s growth according to the increasing demand for the aircraft in the market. The Bulgarian carriers to be confident about the quality of the B737-800SF variant that has been built with the most advanced narrow-body freighter technology alongside increased capabilities and fuel efficiency.
The GA Telesis announced its delivery of the first-ever B737-800SF passenger to freighter conversion to Ethiopian Airlines in March 2021. The asset management and leasing company entered the air cargo industry, first dealing with the AEI in July 2020.
About GA Telesis
GA Telesis’ Leasing, Investment, Financing & Trading (“LIFT”), the group founded in 2002, has achieved great feats in the aviation sector, turning itself into a world-leading commercial aviation company. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the aviation company is one of the largest commercial aerospace enterprises with over $1 billion assets under management.
The aviation company delivers comprehensive solutions that add value and cost-efficiency to the choices of the customers. GA Telesis at the forefront of the aviation market are well known for adapting to changes and demands of the industry, offering cutting edge technology products and services to the customers that meet modern-day growing industry demand, providing a competitive advantage to its customers in the market.
With one of the largest inventories of commercial aircraft parts and services, GA Telesis serves a widespread network of customers across the six continents, excelling at effective communication, delivery, and MRO services throughout its extensive network.
