Rolling Stones get satisfaction from Atlas Air flight to Cuba

Atlas Air Inc., a unit of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc. in Purchase, did the heavy lifting ”“ 97 tons”™ worth ”“ for an historic concert performance by The Rolling Stones in Havana, Cuba, this month.

A Boeing 747-400 freighter in the Atlas Air fleet carried that tonnage in staging and musical equipment from Mexico City to Havana for the first open-air performance in Cuba by a British rock band. The flight, with a stop at Miami International Airport, was the first commercial charter operation of its kind by a U.S.-based carrier since the two countries reopened relations.

The Rolling Stones gave a free concert in Cuba”™s capital city on March 25, a few days after President Barack Obama”™s groundbreaking 3-day visit to the Communist country 90 miles from the U.S.

Supported by Atlas Air”™s service and shipments by sea, the Stones production required 61 containers with an estimated 500 tons of equipment, according to officials at Atlas Air headquarters in Purchase.

The air freight hauler said there were special visa, permitting and “operational challenges” to work through for the commercial mission to the island nation, which has been economically isolated for more than 50 years by a U.S. trade embargo.

“As the first U.S. freighter operator chosen to operate into Cuba, we were delighted to support this one-of-a-kind event,” said Michael Steen, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Atlas Air Worldwide.