Omni Air International
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Tulsa, Oklahoma , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Passenger charter flights, ACMI wet lease services |
| Parent | Air Transport Services Group (since 2018) |
Omni Air International, LLC is a charter airline based in the United States, with its headquarters located in Hangar 19 at Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company specializes in passenger charter operations and offers Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) wet lease services. Omni Air caters to private sector clients, governmental agencies, and the U.S. Department of Defense. It is a designated long-range international carrier within the Civil Reserve Air Fleet and holds FAA Part 121 certification as well as registration under the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).
History
Initially established in 1993 with a single Boeing 727 aircraft, Omni Air grew its operations by providing both domestic and international charter flights and securing contracts with military and government entities. In 2018, the airline was purchased by Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), thereby strengthening ATSG’s footprint in the passenger ACMI leasing market.
Fleet
As of , the Omni Air International fleet includes:
| Aircraft | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Boeing 767-200ER | 3 |
| Boeing 767-300ER | 9 |
| Boeing 777-200ER | 2 |
Operations
Omni Air delivers worldwide charter and ACMI services, with a primary focus on transporting military personnel and fulfilling governmental contracts. This specialization supports its leadership position in tailored aviation solutions.
Controversies
The airline has been contracted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate deportation flights. According to a 2019 Quartz article, Omni Air was uniquely willing to undertake certain "high-risk" deportation missions, which led to concerns regarding increased operational costs.
See also
History
Originally launched as Omni Air Express in March 1993, the company commenced operations with a Boeing 727 freighter serving integrated logistics customers such as BAX Global, DHL, Emery Worldwide, and UPS. The rebranding to Omni Air International occurred in 1997 alongside the introduction of passenger services using McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft, including N270AX—the final DC-10 ever manufactured.
By 1998, Omni divested its Boeing 727 freighters to concentrate exclusively on passenger transport. It acquired pre-owned long-range DC-10-30s to support international charters and provide ACMI wet lease services for commercial airlines and the US Department of Defense. The fleet further expanded in 2003 with ETOPS-certified Boeing 757-200 aircraft operating leisure routes throughout North America and the Caribbean.
Fleet renewal continued with the addition of Boeing 767-300ER jets in 2009 and Boeing 777-200ER aircraft in 2011, complementing the existing Boeing 767-200ER models. These planes were utilized primarily for Department of Defense missions connecting U.S. bases with overseas military installations. Additionally, Omni offered wet lease solutions to airlines based in Canada, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, and Bolivia. The DC-10s were phased out by 2011 following IOSA certification; Boeing 757s were retired by 2012.
On October 2, 2018, Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) declared its plan to acquire Omni for $845 million, finalizing the transaction on November 9. This acquisition bolstered ATSG’s global reach and strengthened its position within the ACMI service sector.
In September 2019, Omni was instrumental in repatriating British nationals after the collapse of UK’s Thomas Cook Airlines, operating government-contracted rescue flights.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Omni received $67 million in relief funding alongside a $77.65 million contract from the Department of Defense for international charter airlift services under the Trump administration.
In August 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden activated the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, deploying three Omni aircraft among other commercial carriers to support evacuation operations from Afghanistan.
Fleet
As of June 2024, the Omni Air International fleet consists of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Quantity | Seating Arrangements | Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | Y | Total | |||
| Boeing 767-200ER | 3 | 18 | 195 | 213 | |
| Boeing 767-300ER | 9 | Configurations range from 12 to 88 business class seats | Economy seating varies between 193 and 224 | Overall capacity spans 205 to 248 passengers depending on layout | Two of these aircraft are owned by the New England Patriots. |
| Boeing 777-200ER | 3 | 0 | 381 | 381 | |
| Total | 15 | Varies by configuration | Varies by configuration | Varies by configuration | |
Accidents and incidents
On August 28, 2020, a Boeing 767 operated by Omni Air International (registration N423AX) suffered a failure of the left main landing gear upon touchdown in Bucharest, Romania. The flight was en route from Kabul to Washington with a scheduled refueling stop. All 80 passengers evacuated safely via emergency slides, and no injuries were reported.