 | |||||||
_EI-STS_(DSC05220).jpg) ASLI737-48E(SF) in standard livery | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 1972; 53 years ago (1972) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | |||||||
| Fleet size | 40 | ||||||
| Parent company | ASL Aviation Holdings | ||||||
| Headquarters | Swords,Dublin,Ireland | ||||||
| Key people | John Rawl(Managing Director) | ||||||
| Website | http://www.aslaviationholdings.com/asl-airlines-ireland/ | ||||||
ASL Airlines Ireland (ASLI), formerlyAir Contractors, is a cargoairline with an extensive operations network. It operates scheduled freight services throughout Europe on behalf of major parcel integrators such asAmazon,FedEx Feeder andDHL Express; and somewet lease services for scheduled airlines.ASL Aviation Holdings,[1] the parent company of ASL Airlines Ireland, is headquartered inSwords,County Dublin,Ireland.[2]
The airline was established and started operations in 1972, asAir Bridge Carriers atEast Midlands Airport. In September 1992 the nameHunting Cargo Airlines was adopted and in 1997 the transfer of all airline operations to Ireland was completed. In June 1998 the Hunting Group sold its aviation arm to a joint consortium of CMBCompagnie Maritime Belge andSafair (part of the Imperial Group) and the airline was rebrandedAir Contractors.
The Imperial Group transferred its 49% shareholding in the company to 3P Air Freighters/Petercam S.A. in 2007.
Air Contractors acquired French carrierEurope Airpost on 14 March 2008.[3] Following the acquisition of EAP into the ACL group of companies, the group was rebrandedASL Aviation Group, representing the three core activities of the group;Airlines,Support andLeasing.
In 2010 Air Contractors entered a new era with the start of passenger flying on a Boeing 737-300 aircraft in conjunction with its Group partner, Europe Airpost.[citation needed]
On 4 June 2015, ASL Aviation Group announced that Air Contractors would be rebranded as ASL Airlines Ireland,Europe Airpost as ASL Airlines France,Farnair Hungary as ASL Airlines Hungary andFarnair Switzerland as ASL Airlines Switzerland.[4]
The company announced on 5 February 2016 that it had agreed to buyTNT Airways andPAN Air, on the condition that FedEx's purchase of TNT goes ahead. The sale went through in May 2016.[5] TNT Airways became ASL Airlines Belgium and Pan Air became ASL Airlines Spain.[6] In early 2017, ASL Aviation Group rebranded as ASL Aviation Holdings.
SubsidiaryASL Airlines Switzerland ceased all operations on 1 February 2018,[7] whileASL Airlines Spain ceased all operations in August of that same year.[8]
ASLI maintains crew bases in 10 European countries and has its own maintenance hangar inShannon, Ireland. The airline's operations span a network of more than 50 regular destinations acrossEurope,North America andAsia under its own brand name and on behalf of customers such asDHL,Amazon andFedEx.
.jpg)
(WL)_EI-AZE_(DSC08041).jpg)
The ASL Airlines Ireland fleet consists of the following aircraft as of January 2025;[9]
| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300F | 6 | — | Operated forDHL Aviation |
| Airbus A330-200F | 1 | — | Operated forDHL Aviation |
| ATR 72-500F | 2 | — | |
| ATR 72-600F | 9 | — | Operated forFedEx Express |
| Boeing 737-400F | 5 | — | |
| Boeing 737-800BCF | 1 | 2 | |
| 9 | — | Operated forAmazon Air | |
| 2 | — | Operated for SolitAir | |
| 1 | — | Operated forDHL Aviation | |
| Total | 36 | 2 |
_-_EI-SOA_-_Cologne_Bonn_Airport-6734.jpg)
Aircraft that have been in the ASL Airlines Ireland fleet in the past.
| Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|
| ATR 42-300(F) | Last aircraft was withdrawn in April 2021 |
| ATR 72-200(F) | Last aircraft was withdrawn in October 2022 |
| A330-300(F) | Last aircraft was withdrawnin April 2024 |
| Boeing 737-300(F) | Last aircraft was withdrawn in October 2019 |
| 757-200 | Last aircraft was withdrawn in June 2020 |
In June 2021,ASL Aviation Holdings announced an order with Boeing for up to 20737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) aircraft - 10 firm orders and 10 options at theParis Air Show.[10] This was extended to an additional 20737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) in March 2022.[11] ASL's order, including options brings the number of 737-800BCF to 40 aircraft. Eleven aircraft operate forASL Airlines Belgium,[12]ASL Airlines France,[13] ASL Airlines Ireland[14] and ASL joint venture,K-Mile Asia.[15] ASL Airline Ireland has taken delivery of 8 of these aircraft as of January 2025.
Media related toASL Airlines Ireland at Wikimedia Commons
