U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has tentatively selected Atlas Air Cargo, Inc., as a new carrier to serve the U.S.-Brazil scheduled all-cargo market.

In its tentative decision, the department said the selection of Atlas would maximize the benefits to the shipping public by affording shippers the most frequent service from Miami, the premier gateway for U.S.-Brazil all-cargo services, and the most available capacity for such service.

The selected carrier will become the fourth designated U.S. airline for the operation of scheduled all-cargo operations and, as such, will afford the shipping public valuable weekly scheduled all-cargo service. The department’s tentative decision would also award Atlas ten weekly round-trip frequencies to provide the service. Atlas has said it would use wide-body 747 freighter aircraft for all ten flights.

The U.S.-Brazil market is the second largest U.S.-South America market. While traffic levels have fluctuated over the years due to Brazil’s economy, in 1999, more than 472 million pounds of cargo were transported in the market by U.S. and foreign airlines.

The order also tentatively named Gemini Air Cargo, Inc., for backup authority to the primary carrier.

Any objections to the tentative decision must be filed within ten calendar days. Answers to objections must be filed within five calendar days afterward.

The show-cause order, carrier applications, and comments may be obtained via the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, docket number OST-2000-7559.

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