Chapman Freeborn is celebrating its German office’s 40th anniversary this year. The company looks back on four very successful decades and is heading into the future with a very positive outlook.
Chapman Freeborn Germany, in cooperation with a Düsseldorf company, first broke ground on their Frankfurt headquarters in 1982 – the first step in the international expansion of the Chapman Freeborn Group. The opening of another German office followed in Cologne in 1991, with another office being established in Berlin in 1994. The German network was further expanded in 1998 with an office in Munich.
Chapman Freeborn was founded in London in 1973 by Chris Chapman and Mike Freeborn. It started with an initial charter flight on the Alaska International Air L-100 Hercules freighter fleet and has since grown into an international company with over 300 employees and a global network.
Approximately 85 employees now work in the German offices across a wide variety of product categories. Originally Chapman Freeborn started in Germany exclusively to organise cargo charters, from small charters in helicopters or private jets, to heavy-lift transports in Antonov freighters, and all related services. The German passenger department was established in Cologne in 1994, with the team planning and executing charter flights for groups, such as for MICE or sports events, as well as flights in private jets for business or private travel. The passenger team takes care of every detail of the flight, tailoring the experience to the customer’s requirements.
Other subsidiaries of the Chapman Freeborn Group complement their range of services: Chapman Freeborn’s On Board Courier (OBC) service was founded in Cologne in 2006, and a Magma Aviation GSA office was established in Frankfurt in 2018. The acquisition of Arcus Air Logistic and Arcus OBC in 2021 also expanded Chapman Freeborn’s freight product portfolio.
Key milestones and a positive outlook
In 2019 Chapman Freeborn became part of Avia Solutions Group, a leading global aerospace services company with nearly 100 offices and manufacturing facilities worldwide. The synergies and increased reach with Avia Solution Group’s subsidiaries provide significant value to Chapman Freeborn.
The biggest value of in the company’s success over the past 4 decades is its experienced team, which works around the clock to serve its customers. Chapman Freeborn is considered a pioneer for innovative offers in the field of cargo and passenger charter flights and has established its position as market leader.
Bettina Kaufmann, General Manager Germany, who has worked at the company for over 30 years, comments on the anniversary: “It is our unique employees who have made us who we are today – their commitment, extensive expertise and ability to recognise market changes early on are invaluable to us. Even during the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to further consolidate our market position and expand the business with our creative solutions.
The close relationships established with our customers and partners over the years have contributed significantly to the company’s success. We would like to thank you for the trust and cooperation, and we will continue our long tradition of finding the right charter solution for our customers at the best price into the future.”