As Agent_K says, most of BA World Cargo freight travels as belly cargo on the airline’s passenger aircraft.
The Stansted operation consists of three B747-400 dedicated-cargo aircraft which are operated on BA’s behalf (using BA flight numbers and Speedbird callsigns) by a company called Global Supply Systems. GSS was set up in 2002 in a joint effort by Atlas Air and private British funds to fulfill the BA contract, after political pressures meant Atlas Air (an American company) could not fulfil the contract in it’s own right.
Previous to this, Atlas Air had in fact operated a B747-400 N495MC out of Stansted in full BA World Cargo livery (http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=17812), but this aircraft was repainted in 2002 and was the first aircraft to join GSS as G-GSSA.
GSS now operates three B744s (G-GSSA, B & C), of which all are leased from Atlas Air, and fly in GSS livery with “Operated for British Airways World Cargo” stickers on the nose (http://www.adamrowden.co.uk/image.asp?id=658).
During the first half of this year, BA did lease a fourth aircraft, a B747-200 N528MC, directly from Atlas on a temporary basis (http://www.adamrowden.co.uk/image.asp?id=704), but even this caused unrest in the British cargo industry – who’s general opinion is that the BA cargo contract should be fulfilled by UK registered airlines and aircraft.
Hope that helps!
Adam
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