Cargoair

Cargoair, legally Cargo Air Ltd and branded in lowercase as cargoair, is a Bulgarian cargo airline headquartered in Sofia. It operates freight services primarily through charter flying, ad-hoc cargo work, long-term aircraft leasing arrangements, and ACMI operations, in which an aircraft is supplied with crew, maintenance, and insurance to another airline. Its principal operating bases are Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany and Vasil Levski Sofia Airport in Bulgaria. The business was established on 4 July 1997 under the name Vega Airlines. It began unscheduled operations in November 1998 with Antonov An-12 aircraft. After operations were suspended around the beginning of the following decade, the company underwent a substantial reorganization. It adopted the Cargoair name on 26 October 2006 and rebuilt its operation during the first part of 2007. A significant early step in the reorganized company’s development was its establishment in November 2007 as the general sales agent for Belarusian cargo carrier Ruby Star. Through that role, Cargo Air offered logistics services using Antonov An-12 and Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft. In the same year, it acquired a Boeing 737-300 freighter and resumed its own flight operations on 15 September 2007. Cargoair’s later strategy centered increasingly on Boeing 737 narrow-body freighters. It acquired a second Boeing 737-300F in September 2009 and a third in September 2011, responding to demand for longer-term aircraft leases and ad-hoc charter flights. From July 2009, the company also operated flights for TNT Airways on the carrier’s European network, giving Cargoair a role in contracted express-freight flying. The airline expanded into the Boeing 737-400 freighter market in 2013. A passenger-configured 737-400 purchased in February was converted to freighter configuration and entered commercial service as a 737-400F in July for European Air Transport. A second 737-400F was added in November 2013, followed by additional aircraft in 2015 and 2016. Cargoair also purchased two Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft in February 2016, broadening its narrow-body freighter capability. In 2017, the company added passenger and ACMI operations to its cargo activities, flying on behalf of Air Mediterranean and Travel Service during the summer season. This complemented rather than replaced its freight focus. Cargoair’s business model therefore combines dedicated freighter operations with contracted airline capacity, allowing it to serve express logistics networks, charter customers, and partner airlines. The available reference material identifies the airline as operating as of August 2025, but does not provide a full current fleet list, ownership structure, financial information, executive roster, or official website URL.

Cargoair originated as Vega Airlines, established in Bulgaria on 4 July 1997. The carrier began unscheduled operations in November 1998 with Antonov An-12 aircraft. Operations were later halted, and the company underwent a comprehensive reorganization before returning under the Cargoair name. The renaming took place on 26 October 2006, with the business rebuilt during the first part of 2007. In November 2007, Cargo Air was established as the general sales agent for Ruby Star, a Belarusian cargo airline. This activity extended beyond flight operations into logistics services, using Antonov An-12 and Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft for customer requirements. Cargoair also acquired its first Boeing 737-300F in 2007 and restarted flight operations on 15 September of that year. The company entered contracted European express-freight work in July 2009 by beginning operations for TNT Airways. Its freighter fleet expanded with a second Boeing 737-300F in September 2009 and a third in September 2011. The expansion was linked to rising demand for long-term aircraft lease operations and ad-hoc charter services, which became important components of Cargoair’s operating model. Cargoair began developing a larger Boeing 737 freighter fleet in 2013. In February of that year it acquired a Boeing 737-400 in passenger configuration and converted the aircraft to freighter configuration. The resulting 737-400F entered commercial service for European Air Transport on 15 July 2013. A second 737-400F joined the fleet in November 2013. A third was added in July 2015, while another Boeing 737-400 was added in January 2016. In February 2016, the company purchased two Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft. Two additional Boeing 737-400F aircraft were added in November and December 2016. The airline broadened its activities in summer 2017 by beginning passenger and ACMI flights for Air Mediterranean and Travel Service. These assignments showed that, although Cargoair’s core identity remained freight aviation, its aircraft and operating resources could also be deployed for passenger and wet-lease requirements. The company’s principal bases are identified as Leipzig/Halle Airport and Vasil Levski Sofia Airport, reflecting its Bulgarian origin and its participation in the wider Central European logistics network. The supplied reference identifies Cargoair as operating in August 2025. It does not provide sufficient information to document a later restructuring, ownership change, financial performance, executive appointments, safety incident, regulatory dispute, or current detailed fleet composition.

1. 2017Passenger and ACMI operations added

   Cargoair began passenger and ACMI flying for Air Mediterranean and Travel Service during summer 2017.

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2. 2016Freighter fleet expanded

   The airline added another Boeing 737-400 in January, purchased two Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft in February, and added two more Boeing 737-400F aircraft later in the year.

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3. 2015Third Boeing 737-400F added

   Cargoair added a third Boeing 737-400F in July 2015.

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4. 2013Boeing 737-400 freighter program begins

   Cargoair acquired a Boeing 737-400, converted it to freighter configuration, and placed the resulting 737-400F into commercial service for European Air Transport in July. A second aircraft followed in November.

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5. 2011Third Boeing 737-300F acquired

   A third Boeing 737-300F was delivered in September 2011 as the airline expanded lease and charter capacity.

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6. 2009TNT Airways contract begins

   Cargoair began operating for TNT Airways on its European network in July 2009 and acquired a second Boeing 737-300F in September.

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7. 2007Cargo operation rebuilt

   Cargoair was rebuilt during the first part of 2007, established a Ruby Star general-sales-agent operation in November, and resumed flight operations with a Boeing 737-300F on 15 September.

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8. 2006Company renamed Cargoair

   The company adopted the Cargoair name on 26 October 2006 during a broader reorganization.

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9. 1998Unscheduled operations begin

   Vega Airlines began unscheduled operations in November 1998 using Antonov An-12 aircraft.

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10. 1997Vega Airlines established

    The Bulgarian carrier that later became Cargoair was established on 4 July 1997 under the name Vega Airlines.

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A Bulgarian specialist cargo carrier positioned around flexible narrow-body freighter operations, charter flying, contracted express logistics, aircraft leasing, and ACMI capacity for airline partners.

• Boeing 737-300F operationsAir cargo2007

  Cargoair’s early modern freighter fleet was built around Boeing 737-300F aircraft. These narrow-body freighters supported charter flying, contracted logistics work, and longer-term aircraft lease arrangements. The company acquired its first example in 2007, followed by additional aircraft in 2009 and 2011.

• Boeing 737-400F operationsAir cargo2013

  The Boeing 737-400F became a major part of Cargoair’s freighter expansion. The airline converted a passenger-configured 737-400 to freighter configuration in 2013 and placed it into service for European Air Transport in July of that year. Further 737-400F aircraft were added from 2013 through 2016.

• Boeing 737-800BCF operationsAir cargo2016

  Cargoair purchased two Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft in February 2016. The type extended the company’s narrow-body freighter portfolio and supported its broader cargo, leasing, and charter strategy. The supplied reference does not specify the aircraft’s subsequent deployment or current operating status.

• ACMI and passenger capacityAirline services2017

  In addition to dedicated cargo flying, Cargoair has supplied passenger and ACMI capacity to other airlines. ACMI arrangements provide the aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance, enabling a customer airline to add capacity without independently supplying all operating resources. Cargoair undertook such work for Air Mediterranean and Travel Service in summer 2017.

1. Cargoair