Air Charter Service recently arranged a charter into its 4,000th airport since 2013, during which time it has flown into more than 191 countries.
Chairman Chris Leach comments: “Since the beginning of 2013, we have chartered aircraft into or out of 4,027 IATA or ICAO recognised airports, along with thousands more dirt runways, ice runways, non-designated airfields, helipads and even water landings. To put this number into perspective, American Airlines operates to 350 destinations in 63 countries, which is more than any other international airline.
“The airport that holds the honour of being our 4,000th is Cobar Regional in New South Wales, Australia. A couple of months ago we moved mining workers on an ATR72 originating in Brisbane, having dropped off half the passengers in Charleville en route.
“We estimate that we have landed at around double the 4,000 shown on the map, including all other airfields. There are some notable airfields that our chartered aircraft have landed at, but they wouldn't be on the list or map. These include Black Rock City airport in the middle of the Nevada desert, which only opens for just over one week every year simply to serve air traffic to the Burning Man Festival. There are many airstrips in Africa that are used for safaris, and many airfields in Antarctica and Alaska that do not have codes. This year we have had aircraft land at uncoded airports all over the world, such as in ChemChem in Tanzania, Gan Gan Outstation in Australia, Umaria in India and Stolzfus Airfield in Ohio. Along with these, we have hundreds of helicopter charters that land at racecourses, music festivals and fields around the world,” Leach says.
“Each airport on the map represents a different destination for trade, tourism or aid, and truly shows the power of charter aviation. We are proud to be a part of connecting the world through each one of our 33 offices around the globe.”