Originally Posted by
Phileas Fogg
BA World Cargo don't have any freighters, it's either in pax aircraft bellies or sub-contracted freighters, at Cargo Lion we operated DC8's for BA ex LGW until they wanted the slots for pax so moved us to STN, then came the B747 mob who's name escapes me
Global Supply Systems GSS operated three Boeing 747-400F on behalf of British Airways Cargo. It was a parent company of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings holding UK CAA Type A Operating License.
Global Supply Systems was formed on the 31 January 2001 and started operations on 29 June 2002. It began operations for British Airways World Cargo between London Stansted Airport and Frankfurt and Hong Kong using a Boeing 747-400F on dry lease from partner Atlas Air. The company was founded by Atlas Air and John Robert Porter and was majority British owned (51%) with Atlas Air as minority shareholder (49%).
GSS Global Supply Systems eventually operated three Boeing 747-400F aircraft. Two were painted in the white and blue tailed livery of GSS with one aircraft painted in the full British Airways World Cargo livery.
Boeing 747-47UF/SCD N495MC from Atlas Air wore the full British Airways World Cargo livery and was the only Boeing 747 wearing the "English Rose" livery as part of the British Airways "world tails" concept. It was based at London Stansted Airport.
In January 2014 British Airways World Cargo as the main customer terminated it's contract with Global Supply Systems GSS effective from 30 April 2014. GSS was unable to find a new customer and ceased operations later that year.
In February 2014 British Airways and Atlas Air had an arrangement where three brand new Boeing 747-800F aircraft would operate for British Airways World Cargo based at London Stansted Airport. The three Boeing 747-800F aircraft were British registered, British Airways crewed and fully painted in British Airways World Cargo livery and operated flights to destinations such as Chicago, Delhi, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Johannesburg.
London Stansted Airport was a long haul base for British Airways World Cargo.
British Airways World Cargo operated three Boeing 747-8F in full British Airways World Cargo livery.
G-GSSD
G-GSSD
G-GSSE
(Loads of photos and videos online showing these particular aircraft especially at London Stansted Airport)
On the 29 July 2013 London Stansted Airport saw the arrival of British Airways A380 G-XLEA, it was parked at Satellite 1 along with a British Airways World Cargo Boeing 747-8F G-GSSD as part of a publicity event
(Again loads of photos and videos online showing this event)
In 2015 British Airways World Cargo terminated their arrangement with Atlas Air and British Airways World Cargo was renamed IAG Cargo with all pure cargo flights from London Stansted Airport ceasing.
At the same time Qatar Airways Cargo took over many of the IAG Cargo flights excluding their own cargo flights into London Stansted Airport.
The majority of IAG Cargo is carried as belly freight along with the dedicated flights operated by DHL.
As your aware up until March 1982 British Airways had a pure cargo operation British Airways Cargo with a sub fleet of Boeing 707-320C, Merchantman plus a single Boeing 747-200F registration G-KILO which was subsequently sold to Cathay Pacific Airways Cargo.
G-KILO was delivered to British Airways Cargo on the 30 September 1980. Sold to Cathay Pacific on the 15 March 1982 and re-registered as VR-HVY.
Dedicated British Airways Cargo flights ceased in February 1982 with all remaining cargo flown as belly cargo.