Kalitta Air

Kalitta Air is an American cargo airline. It is based at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan. The airline flies goods all around the world on scheduled routes and special trips called charters.

The airline’s call sign is “Connie.” This name comes from the founder of the airline, Connie Kalitta. The call sign helps pilots and air traffic controllers talk to the airplane safely during flights.

History

In 1967, Conrad "Connie" Kalitta started an airline called Connie Kalitta Services. He used a small plane to carry car parts. The airline later changed its name to American International Airways in 1984 and added bigger planes for different kinds of flights.

Even after some changes and challenges, Kalitta kept working with the airline. In 2000, he started a new airline called Kalitta Air. Over the years, Kalitta Air has done important jobs, like helping during emergencies. In 2020, it helped bring people home from Wuhan during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2026, it helped during a health issue in the MV Hondius.

Destinations

Kalitta Air offers cargo flights both inside and outside the United States. They support the needs of the Department of Defense Air Mobility Command.

In January 2003, Kalitta Air began regular cargo flights from the United States to Europe. These flights went from airports in New York, New Jersey, and Chicago to airports in Amsterdam and England. The airline also flies cargo between the U.S. and Hong Kong, Germany, Korea, Los Angeles and Honolulu. Some flights stop at Liège Airport for refueling when traveling between New York City and the Middle East, and also serve the Caribbean.

As of February 2020, Kalitta Air regularly serves these destinations with cargo flights:

Fleet

Kalitta Air has used many different types of airplanes over the years. As of March 2026, they operate several specific models, though the exact list changes over time.

The airline has also used many other airplane types in the past, including models like the Beech 18, Boeing 727-100F, Boeing 747-100SF, and Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar, among others.

Current fleet

As of March 2026^[update], Kalitta Air operates the following aircraft:

Historical fleet

Kalitta Air previously operated the following aircraft types:^{[citation needed]}

• Beech 18 (Volpar turboliner 1 conversion)
• Boeing 727-100F
• Boeing 727-200F
• Boeing 747-100
• Boeing 747-100SF
• Boeing 747-200F
• Boeing 747-400^{[citation needed]}
• Boeing 767-300BCF
• Boeing 767-300BDSF
• Douglas DC-8-50F
• Douglas DC-8-61F
• Douglas DC-8-62F
• Douglas DC-8-63F
• Douglas DC-9-10F
• Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar
• Lockheed L-1011-200F TriStar

Photo gallery (chronological order)

Here are some historic photos of airplanes from Kalitta Air’s past:

• Volpar Turboliner I (converted Beechcraft 18) at Detroit, Michigan in 1993
• A Douglas DC 9 at Willow Run Airport in 1989
• DC-9 of American International at Detroit in 1984
• Douglas DC 8-62CF landing at Miami
• De Havilland Canada DHC 7 at Philadelphia-Northeast airport
• Lockheed L.1011 "Tristar"
• Boeing 727-223F

Incidents and accidents

On August 18, 1993, a Kalitta Air plane landed badly at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and crashed into the ground. The three crew members were hurt but survived, though the plane was destroyed.

On October 20, 2004, a Kalitta Air plane had engine trouble while flying over Lake Michigan and safely landed in Detroit, Michigan, with no injuries.

During a conflict in 2006, Kalitta Air flew weapons from the United States to Israel, stopping in Scotland for fuel, without permission from the United Kingdom.

On May 25, 2008, a Kalitta Air plane went too far down a runway at Brussels Airport in Belgium and broke apart, but no one was hurt.

On July 7, 2008, a Kalitta Air plane crashed shortly after leaving Bogotá, Colombia, after reporting engine fires. The plane hit a house, and two people on the ground were killed, but the eight crew members survived with injuries.

On March 29, 2019, a Kalitta Air plane had engine trouble shortly after leaving Brussels and landed safely later.

On September 30, 2021, a Kalitta Air plane had engine trouble right after landing at East Midlands, UK.

On August 7, 2023, a Kalitta Air plane landed badly at Ningbo Lishe International Airport in China but had no injuries.

Media appearances

Kalitta Air's airplanes have appeared in several movies and TV shows. For the 1997 film Air Force One, one of Kalitta's Boeing 747s was rented and painted to look like the famous Air Force One plane.

The TV show MythBusters used Kalitta's Boeing 747s in two episodes. In one episode, they tested if a jet could flip over a taxi or a school bus, and they found it could. In another episode, they used the jet's exhaust to mimic tornado wind speeds.

During the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, a Kalitta Air 747 helped bring Canadians home from a cruise ship off the coast of California. The passengers were then quarantined for 14 days. Another Kalitta 747 also appeared in a documentary about evacuating U.S. citizens from a cruise ship during the same time.

One of Kalitta's airplanes was also used in the movie Executive Decision, where it was painted to look like a fictional airline's plane.