Dubai-based cargo airline SolitAir has officially obtained its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), marking a significant milestone in its operational readiness. The certification, governed by stringent UAE Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) Part V, Chapter 4, required compliance with rigorous safety, financial, and operational standards, and underlines SolitAir’s capabilities in providing safe and reliable logistics.
Together with the AOC announcement, the airline also announced the expansion of its fleet, which currently includes three Boeing 737-800 BCF freighters (one under dry lease) and one 737-400 BCF. By the end of this year, SolitAir will have taken delivery of a further four aircraft as it ramps up on its plans of operating a fleet of 20 by 2027. The company also aims to integrate electric aircraft into its network by 2030 as part of its sustainability strategy. The airline founded in 2024 by CEO Hamdi Osman, a former FedEx Express executive, runs a circa 20,500 m² (220,000 ft²) logistics facility at Dubai World Central (DWC). It caters to freight forwarders, integrators, and e-commerce businesses, and aims to offer efficient airport-to-airport logistics, focusing on middle-mile cargo services and connecting Dubai to high-demand trade routes including destinations in the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, and Central Asia. Its fleet is optimized for specialized cargo such as pharmaceuticals, e-commerce shipments, perishables, and hazardous materials.
Hamdi A. Osman, Founder & CEO of SolitAir, commented: “Receiving the AOC from the UAE’s competent authority is a testament to our operational excellence and readiness to drive innovation in air cargo transportation. Our focus is on delivering agile, express, reliable and sustainable solutions to bridge the high growth, developing markets of the Global South with Dubai, one of the world’s most sophisticated and hyperconnected trade hubs. SolitAir is instrumental in advancing Dubai’s vision to expand its industrial footprint and solidify its position as a global leader in air cargo transportation. With our cargo operations soon linking Dubai to 50 key markets across Africa, South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East, we are poised to drive trade efficiency and foster economic growth throughout the Global South.”
