Editing Polar Air Cargo (section)

== History ==
[[File:N643GT (9029054422).jpg|thumb|right|A Polar Air Cargo [[Boeing 767|Boeing 767-300ERF]] in [[DHL Express]] colors (2013)]]

Polar was formed in 1993 as a joint venture between [[Southern Air Transport]] and [[GE Commercial Aviation Services|GE Capital Aviation Services]] (GECAS). It started operations in June 1993 and began with charter flights, later adding scheduled services. During 1994, Polar was certified as a supplemental air carrier by the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] and on 4 July 1994 as a US all-cargo carrier by the [[United States Department of Transportation]]. After several years of continued growth, the remainder of the company was acquired by GECAS. {{Citation needed|date=July 2007}}

In November 2001, Polar was acquired by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (AAWW), whose [[Atlas Air]] subsidiary is a provider of [[Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance|ACMI]] (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) freighter leasing. Polar became the scheduled service provider for AAWW, while Atlas continued to supply [[Boeing 747-400]] freighters on a wet-lease basis to major airlines. In October 2006, it was announced that [[DHL Express]] would be acquiring a 49% stake in Polar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://info.hktdc.com/shippers/vol29_6/vol29_6_aircargo01.htm|title=Polar, DHL ink partnership (hktdc.com)}}</ref> {{As of|March 2007}}, Polar is still majority-owned by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings (51%) and has 736 employees.<ref name="FI"/>

In April 2023, former Polar Air Cargo COO Lars Winkelbauer was arrested in Thailand and charged, along with 10 others, with defrauding the company of an estimated $52m.<ref>[https://theloadstar.com/fbi-round-up-alleged-polar-fraudsters/#  FBI rounds-up former Polar execs charged with $52m fraud]</ref>

In February 2025, Atlas Air and DHL announced that Polar Air Cargo would be dissolved, with the 4 747-8s and 2 777Fs in Polar’s fleet continuing to be operated by Atlas.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://cargofacts.com/allposts/carriers/atlas-and-dhl-closing-polar-air-cargo/ |title= Atlas and DHL closing Polar Air Cargo |date=February 21, 2025 |website=Cargo Facts}}</ref>