The Hut Group (THG) has announced plans to launch its own cargo airline, THG Air, with two aircraft due in operation by the end of 2020.
The UK consumer goods holding, which owns multiple luxury, lifestyle, beauty, and wellness brands, is planning to acquire the aircraft shortly and will base them out of Manchester International. They will be branded as THG Air and will predominantly serve Asian markets.
THG's Head of Group Communications & Portfolio, Viki Tahmasebi, told ch-aviation in an e-mailed statement that it was looking at A330-200Fs for THG Air's fleet. She underlined that while the type was a "likely choice" and the acquisition was "in the final stages", a formal decision had yet to be taken. She declined to comment on whether the firm would seek its own Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) or outsource the operation of the aircraft to another airline.
At the same time, THG Air announced an agreement with Singapore Airlines (SQ, Singapore Changi) to charter a series of more than 100 cargo flights.
This partnership will "remove its reliance on scheduled passenger services. This is in response to both recent unprecedented disruption across the airline industry, and THG's strong international sales growth," the group said.
Tahmasebi underlined that this charter partnership, which is already ongoing, is not related to the plans of launching THG Air.
Singapore Airlines currently operates an in-house freighter fleet of seven B747-400(F)s.
