Cargo carrier moves to passenger market
Steven Harrison is the president of National Airlines
The U.S. Department of Transportation has granted Michigan-based National Airlines international passenger charter authority, allowing National to transport people, property and mail for 25 years. Previously, National Airlines had only offered all-cargo service.
National is planning to offer passenger operations using a Boeing 757-200. Certification by the Federal Aviation Administration is currently underway. The carrier's plan is to offer the passenger flights in addition to services using its fleet of DC-8 aircraft, freighter operations using 747-400s and 757-200 Combi services.
"This authority represents a very significant milestone in National's two-track strategy to augment and modernize our already substantial international cargo-carrying capacity with market-leading international passenger charter operations," said National's president, Steven Harrison, in a statement. "Ours is an ambitious plan, and I'm extremely proud of our team's world-class performance in safely bringing it closer to fruition."
