SolitAir Boeing 737-800.
Dubai-based cargo carrier SolitAir has been granted Third Country Operator (TCO) certification by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), clearing the airline to operate flights into and out of UK airspace.
The TCO framework, established following the UK’s departure from the EU, is the mechanism by which British authorities certify that non-UK commercial carriers meet the country’s safety and operational standards before serving UK airspace.
The certification adds to SolitAir’s regulatory portfolio, which already includes a United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority Air Operator Certificate, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Third Country Operator authorization covering the EU and an ACC3 designation from EASA, which enables secure cargo corridors into the EU.
Hamdi Osman, founder and CEO of SolitAir, called the certification “an important milestone. The UK is a key trade partner to the [Gulf Cooperation Council] states, and this certification clears the path for SolitAir to become an important air cargo player in this lucrative corridor,” he said.
The approval enables SolitAir to pursue route development into the UK, building on a network that currently spans 56 routes across 34 countries, including 17 cities in Africa. The carrier recently launched its first EU destination, Sofia, Bulgaria, and has since announced a third China route to Jinan (TNA).
SolitAir began operations in autumn 2024 and operates a fleet of Boeing 737-800 freighters, each with a 20 metric ton cargo capacity, from a 20,440 m² (220,000 ft.2) hub at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central. The airline offers scheduled and charter cargo services across Asia, Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Middle East. It plans to grow its fleet to 20 aircraft by 2027.
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