Custom Air Transport

Custom Air Transport was a privately owned American cargo airline headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Established in March 1995 and beginning service on December 9 of that year, the company specialized in freight operations rather than passenger transportation. Its principal business was contract flying for established freight and forwarding companies, most notably Emery Worldwide and later Menlo Forwarding. The airline was wholly owned by Anthony Romeo, who also served as its chairman and chief executive. During its principal operating period, Custom Air Transport connected freight traffic with Emery Worldwide's hub in Dayton, Ohio. The arrangement placed the company within the broader network of contract carriers supporting Emery's air-freight system, allowing it to provide aircraft and operating capacity without functioning as a major independent global integrator. Custom Air Transport's business was heavily affected by changes in the ownership and structure of its principal customer. Emery's parent, CF Transportation, separated its air-freight activities into Menlo Forwarding, which assumed the contract previously associated with Emery Worldwide. In 2005, UPS acquired Menlo Forwarding and subsequently closed the Dayton hub. The hub closure removed the central operating base for Custom Air Transport's main contract. The airline's final flight for Menlo Forwarding took place on June 30, 2006, when the Dayton operation officially shut down. Most of the airline's pilots and flight engineers were then furloughed, although a small number remained available for limited activity. In addition to its Dayton-linked freight work, Custom Air Transport performed some services in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Its listed scheduled destinations in January 2005 included Chicago and Dayton in the United States and Mexico City internationally. These routes reflected the company's role as a small cargo operator serving regional and contract freight requirements rather than a broad passenger airline. The airline retained at least limited operating capability after the 2006 loss of its principal contract. On April 26, 2012, Custom Air Transport delivered its remaining Boeing 727 to Aeronaves Peruanas Air Cargo. Following that transfer, the company ceased all activity and became a defunct U.S. cargo carrier. Available reference material does not identify a successor brand, a separate parent company, or a later return to service.

Custom Air Transport was formed in March 1995 as a privately owned U.S. cargo airline. Anthony Romeo owned the company and served as both chairman and chief executive. The carrier commenced operations on December 9, 1995, with a business model centered on contract freight flying rather than passenger services. Its most important operating relationship was with Emery Worldwide. Custom Air Transport operated cargo flights to and from Emery's Dayton, Ohio hub, supplying aircraft capacity for Emery's air-freight network. The arrangement made the airline dependent on the freight flows and corporate structure of a larger logistics organization while giving it a defined role as a specialist contract operator. A major change occurred when Emery's parent company, CF Transportation, separated its air-freight activities into Menlo Forwarding. Menlo assumed the contract with Custom Air Transport. In 2005, UPS acquired Menlo Forwarding and subsequently shut down the Dayton hub. The closure undermined the airline's main source of work. Custom Air Transport operated its final Menlo Forwarding flight on June 30, 2006, the date on which the Dayton hub officially closed. Most of its pilots and flight engineers were furloughed, although a limited number of personnel remained associated with residual activity. The airline also performed some flights in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Its scheduled destinations recorded for January 2005 included Chicago and Dayton domestically and Mexico City internationally. These services indicate a modest regional and cross-border freight footprint alongside its core contract work. Custom Air Transport continued in a limited form after the end of its principal Menlo Forwarding operation. On April 26, 2012, it delivered its remaining Boeing 727 to Aeronaves Peruanas Air Cargo. The transfer marked the end of the company's aircraft activity, and Custom Air Transport ceased all operations. No later operating activity or successor brand is identified in the available reference material.

• 2012

  Remaining aircraft transferred and operations cease

  [1]Custom Air Transporten.wikipedia.org

  The airline delivered its remaining Boeing 727 to Aeronaves Peruanas Air Cargo on April 26, 2012, then ceased all activity.

• 2006

  Dayton contract operation ends

  [1]Custom Air Transporten.wikipedia.org

  Custom Air Transport made its final Menlo Forwarding flight on June 30, 2006, when the Dayton hub officially closed.

• 2005

  UPS acquires Menlo Forwarding

  [1]Custom Air Transporten.wikipedia.org

  UPS acquired Menlo Forwarding, the organization that had taken over Custom Air Transport's freight contract from Emery Worldwide, and later closed the Dayton hub.

• 1995

  Company established

  [1]Custom Air Transporten.wikipedia.org

  Custom Air Transport was established in March 1995 as a privately owned U.S. cargo airline.

• 1995

  Commercial service begins

  [1]Custom Air Transporten.wikipedia.org

  The airline began operations on December 9, 1995.

A small, privately owned contract cargo carrier focused on operating freight aircraft for larger air-freight and forwarding networks.

• Air cargo services · 1995

  Contract cargo flights

  Custom Air Transport's principal offering was contract air-freight capacity for larger logistics and forwarding organizations. It operated cargo flights connected with Emery Worldwide and subsequently Menlo Forwarding, using its own aircraft and flight crews to support the customer's network. This model made the airline a specialist operator rather than a consumer-facing passenger carrier.

• Air cargo services

  Regional and international freight services

  Alongside its principal contract work, the airline performed cargo flights in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Recorded scheduled destinations in January 2005 included Chicago and Dayton in the United States and Mexico City internationally. These services represented the carrier's regional and cross-border freight activity.

• 2012

  Transfer the remaining Boeing 727 and cease operationsOther

  Background

  After the loss of its major Dayton-linked operation, the airline continued only in a limited capacity.

  Action taken

  The remaining Boeing 727 was delivered to Aeronaves Peruanas Air Cargo on April 26, 2012.

  Aftermath

  Custom Air Transport ceased all activity and became a defunct cargo airline.

  Source

• 2006

  Wind down the principal Dayton contract operationStrategy

  Background

  UPS's acquisition of Menlo Forwarding and the subsequent closure of the Dayton hub removed the operating base for Custom Air Transport's main freight contract.

  Action taken

  Custom Air Transport completed its final Menlo Forwarding flight on June 30, 2006, after which most pilots and flight engineers were furloughed.

  Aftermath

  The airline retained only limited activity and no longer operated its principal contract network.

  Source

1. 1Custom Air Transporten.wikipedia.org