MK Airlines

Infobox Airline
airline = MK Airlines Ltd

logo_size =
fleet_size = 9
destinations = Worldwide
IATA = 7G
ICAO = MKA
callsign = KRUGER AIR
parent = MK Airlines Limited
company_slogan =
founded = 1990 in Ghana
headquarters = Hartfield, East Sussex, United Kingdom
key_people =
hubs = Ostend-Bruges International Airport
secondary_hubs = Luxembourg-Findel International Airport Kent International Airport Kotoka International Airport OR Tambo International Airport
focus_cities =
frequent_flyer =
lounge =
alliance =
website = http://www.mkairlines.com|

MK Airlines is a cargo airline registered in the United Kingdom and providing worldwide freight operations. Its main base is Ostend-Bruges International Airport, Belgium, with hubs at Luxembourg-Findel International Airport, Kent International Airport, Kotoka International Airport, Accra and OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg.cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | page= 51 | date= 2007-04-10] . Other routes operated by MK Airlines Ltd include, MFM (Macau), LFW (LOME) and ALA (Alamaty).

It operates services throughout the world linking Africa and the rest of the world. MK Airlines' Commercial, Flight and Ground Operations, Technical, Finance and Administration teams are all based at their UK base in Upper Hartfield, East Sussex. Fact|date=June 2007

MK Airlines Limited holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats. [ [http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=183&pagetype=90&pageid=340 Operating Licence] ]

History

The airline was established by Michael Kruger (Managing Director and Chief Executive) in November 1990. Operations started in 1991 with a single Douglas DC-8 aircraft, based out of London Gatwick Airport. Fact|date=June 2007

In August 2006 the airline obtained a United Kingdom Operating Licence with permission to dry-lease six Ghanaian registered Boeing 747-200s pending transfer to the United Kingdom Civil Aircraft Register [ [http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/213/1798.pdf UK CAA Official Record Series 2] ] . By the end of the same year MK phased out its last Douglas DC-8-62 cargo aircraft retaining only the Boeing 747-200F type. As of January 2008 all the eight aircraft have been transferred to the United Kingdom Civil Aircraft Register [http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&regmark=MK] .

In February 2008 MK Airlines trading as British Global applied to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority to operate scheduled flights. [Civil Aviation Authority Consumer Protection Group Official Record Series 2 Number 1836, 12 February 2008 (ISSN 0306-4654)]

In June 2008 MK Airlines stopped operating because of the high price of jet fuel. Hoping to restart operations, its founder Mike Kruger was looking for capital to finance the replacement of the fuel-inefficient Boeing 747-200F with the more recent Boeing 747-400 type, which he failed because of the high price tag and the shortage of this type of aircraft on the second hand market.

After the company’s joint administrators secured an initial funding arrangement with Transatlantic Aviation Limited (TAA), part of The Belfairs Management Group of Companies, MK resumed operations in mid June 2008 with a reduced fleet of 5 aircraft. [ [http://www.ifw-net.com/freightpubs/ifw/indexarticle.htm?artid=20017546044.asp MK Airlines resumes flights following new funding commitment] ]

Incidents and accidents

*On October 14,2004, a Boeing 747-200F Flight 'MK1602' crashed on take-off from Halifax International Airport, Canada, killing the whole crew of 7. It was later discovered that the flight crew used the incorrect speeds and thrust setting during the take-off attempt, with wrong take-off data being generated when preparing the flight. The official report blamed the company for serious non-conformances to flight and duty time, with no regulations or company rules governing maximum duty periods for loadmasters and ground engineers, resulting in increased potential for fatigue induced errors. [ [http://www.tsb.gc.ca/en/reports/air/2004/a04h0004/a04h0004%5Findex.asp Canadian Transportation Safety Board Report] ]

There were 3 previous accidents in the airline history, the most recent taking place on November 27th, 2001, with a Boeing 747-200F that crashed in bad weather on short final to Port Harcourt International Airport, Nigeria , killing 1 crew member [ [http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/search_keyword.cgi?search=MK+Airlines Air disaster database] ]

Fleet

The MK Airlines fleet consisted of the following aircraft (at October 2008) :

*5 Boeing 747-200F

References