Omni Air International

Big-picture snapshot

Omni Air International (OAI) is a Part 121 passenger charter and ACMI operator flying a fleet of 14 widebody Boeing 767 and 777 aircraft from 26 home bases nationwide. It is headquartered at Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and employs approximately 350 active pilots represented by the Teamsters Airline Professionals Association, Local 1224. The airline is a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), which was acquired by Stonepeak Partners for $3.1 billion in April 2025.

For interview purposes, the simplest way to frame Omni is this: it is one of America's premier military/government passenger charter operators and a major Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) participant — providing troop transport, DoD airlift, and commercial ACMI leasing worldwide. Omni has flown military personnel to every major U.S. deployment since joining CRAF in 1999, including the August 2021 Afghanistan evacuation (3 aircraft committed). The airline is currently in a deeply contentious labor situation: pilots voted 99% to authorize a strike in February 2025 over contract violations, scheduling abuses, and safety concerns. Omni offers widebody PIC time on the Boeing 767 and 777 — rare in the charter world — with starting captain pay of $192/hour.

Company history

• 1993: Founded as Omni Air Express (OAX); received AOC for B727 freighter operations
• 1994: B727 featured in the film "Congo"
• 1997: Rebranded to Omni Air International; added DC-10 passenger aircraft
• 1999: Received DoD approval for international passenger charters; joined CRAF
• 2000: Repatriated USS Cole sailors after the terrorist attack
• 2003: Acquired B757-200ER; received 180-minute ETOPS authority
• 2005: Operated Missile Defense Agency airborne sensor platform
• 2009: Added B767 fleet
• 2010: Maintained operations during Icelandic volcano eruption; Haiti earthquake relief
• 2011: Retired DC-10; added B777; first U.S. passenger charter with IOSA registration
• 2012: Retired B757
• 2016: Returned military personnel from Ebola relief in West Africa
• 2018: 25th anniversary; acquired by ATSG (Air Transport Services Group)
• 2021 August: CRAF activated for Afghanistan evacuation — 3 Omni aircraft committed
• 2023: David Ray appointed President
• 2025 February: Pilots voted 99% to authorize strike
• 2025 April 11: Stonepeak Partners completed $3.1 billion acquisition of ATSG

Business model

Omni operates as a military/government charter and ACMI provider:

• Military/DoD charter (primary): Troop transport and Department of Defense passenger airlift via the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) program. Omni has been a major CRAF participant since 1999.
• Commercial charter: On-demand passenger charter for civilian clients — sports teams, tour operators, corporate groups, government agencies.
• ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance): Wet-lease operations where Omni provides a complete package to other airlines or organizations.
• Worldwide operations: Omni flies to every continent (except Antarctica), supporting military and civilian missions globally.
• Home-based pilots: Pilots are domiciled at 26 home bases across the country and commute to their assignments on positive-space travel.

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