SolitAir Secures UK Approval as Freighter Network Expands

UAE cargo start-up SolitAir has received third country operator (TCO) certification from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the company announced on Wednesday, giving the Dubai World Central-based freight operator the key safety approval it needs to pursue route development into the UK.

Established after Brexit, the UK TCO framework requires non-UK carriers to demonstrate compliance with British safety and operational standards before entering the market. The approval joins an expanding regulatory portfolio that includes SolitAir’s UAE GCAA air operator certificate, EASA TCO authorization for the European Union, and ACC3 designation from the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority permitting secure cargo operations into the EU.

“The UK is an important trade partner to the GCC states, and this certification clears the path for SolitAir to become an important air cargo player in this lucrative corridor,” said SolitAir founder and CEO Hamdi Osman, a former FedEx executive who spent 34 years with the integrator.

SolitAir launched operations from Al Maktoum International Airport in October 2024 and positions itself as a business-to-business, airport-to-airport express carrier serving what it characterizes as underserved trade lanes. Its network spans 56 routes across 34 countries, and the carrier recently added Sofia, Bulgaria—its first EU destination—along with a third Chinese route to Jinan. The airline operates seven Boeing 737-800 converted freighters, each carrying up to 20 tonnes, and aims to reach 14 aircraft by the end of 2026 and 20 by 2027.