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CORPORATE BACKGROUND

Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (Polar) is a global leader in the international air cargo market, specializing in time-definite, airport-to-airport scheduled freight service. The Company provides a critical link in the international logistics chain by connecting major cargo markets in the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Far East via frequent Boeing 747 freighter service. Polar is 51% owned by Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (AAWW), and 49% owned by DHL Express.

History

Polar was formed in 1993 to fill a strong market need for additional scheduled cargo service in the global airfreight industry. After several years of continued growth, the Company was bought by General Electric, which implemented a quality program that raised service standards to ensure that Polar was a strong strategic alliance partner for the major airlines around the world. Two of these initiatives, which focused on schedule integrity and fleet reliability, led to major gains in performance levels. In November of 2001, Polar was acquired by AAWW, whose Atlas Air, Inc. (Atlas) subsidiary is the world’s leading provider of ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) freighter leasing. Polar became the scheduled service provider for AAWW, with freight forwarders and agents as its customer base, while Atlas continued to supply B747 freighters on a wet-lease basis to major airlines.

In June, 2007, Polar closed on a strategic transaction with DHL Express that gives DHL a 49% equity interest, including a 25% voting interest, in Polar. A related commercial arrangement includes blocked-space on Polar flights and flight-service support agreements with Atlas, and will ensure that DHL Express has access to aircraft capacity in key global markets. At the same time, Polar continues to serve its freight-forwarder customers with convenient schedules on existing routes.

Worldwide Scheduled Service

Polar provides scheduled freight service covering most of the world’s major trade lanes. These include transpacific, transatlantic, transasia, South Pacific, Middle East and South American markets. The Company maintains a vast network of facilities and representatives around the globe to provide the highest level of freight service management. The massive network of scheduled flights allows freight forwarders to connect to major markets with great regularity and reliability.

For example, Polar is a leading carrier to and from China, connecting Shanghai and Beijing to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, South America and multiple points in Asia and Europe.

Roadfeeder Truck Cargo Forwarding

To complement its air services, Polar offers a scheduled roadfeeder truck service that allows clients to forward their cargo with dependability and speed to over 100 principal cities. There is no need for them to use two separate carriers – one to move the air cargo and another to truck it to the final destination. Polar can handle both with the highest quality and reliability.

Charter Services

Polar also offers its customers charter freight services, using its dedicated fleet of B747 aircraft. Each service is tailored to meet the needs of the customer, with Polar being able to handle unique types of cargo or special client requirements thanks to its worldwide network of facilities and professionals. This includes both special handling and time-limited shipments. For example, Polar has shipped horses, cattle, race cars and helicopters across the Atlantic; critically needed supplies to Tsunami victims; and a rock band's musical equipment from one tightly scheduled performance in Glasgow to another at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Polar and Atlas Air also do extensive work for the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC).

Fleet

To provide these services, Polar maintains a large fleet of B747 freighter aircraft, the most efficient and cost-effective aerial platform for transporting intercontinental shipments of heavy freight. The result is that Polar has the capacity to handle shipments of widely varying sizes and volumes, and to deliver goods to hundreds of markets around the globe with consistently high quality.

Industry-Leading Customer Service Representatives

Polar’s worldwide customer service center is manned 24 hours a day with highly trained specialists who provide quick and efficient answers to questions relating to shipping, pricing, service details, documentation requirements and much more. And, these representatives have extensive experience helping customers resolve a variety of global cargo issues.

Commitment to Quality and Safety

Polar is dedicated to maintaining the highest level of safety throughout its operation and is the only U.S. all-cargo carrier to have all its aircraft equipped with the Traffic and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).

In addition, Polar offers a web-based quality management tool that accelerates response time to correct service problems by establishing an Internet communications system linking all of the Company’s stations around the world. Called the Polar Quality Management Tool (PQM), its features include automatic escalation routing, built-in individual accountability, established time standards, tiered levels of action priority and data collection and reporting. PQM not only creates the mechanism to resolve individual problems, but also provides valuable information that enables Polar to identify—and correct—issues before they become a recurring problem.

Leadership

Polar and Atlas are proud to claim one of the strongest senior management teams in the industry:

Market Position
Polar holds a unique marketplace position as the leading global freight partner for major airlines, freight forwarders and other customers. A combination of the Company’s industry-leading capabilities sets it apart from the competition:

  • Large fleet of all-cargo B747 freighter aircraft
  • Coverage of major world markets, including the Far East
  • Vast experience in the airfreight business
  • Consistent reliability, commitment to quality & safety
  • Extremely knowledgeable and skilled employee base
  • In sum, no other company can match Polar’s resources or expertise in the global air cargo industry.

About Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc.
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (AAWW) is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc. and majority shareholder in Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc., which together operate the world's largest fleet of B747 freighter aircraft. There are many synergies between Polar and Atlas, the world's leading provider of ACMI freighter aircraft to major airlines around the globe. Together they provide the airfreight market with options and flexibilities for shipping cargo around the world. Through both Polar and Atlas, AAWW also provides commercial and military charter services.

Headquarters
2000 Westchester Avenue
Purchase, NY 10577-2543
Telephone: (914) 701-8000
Fax: (914) 701-8001
Website: http://www.atlasair.com