Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 segments	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments (in segments)				2
Total revenues	$ 153,826	$ 195,480		$ 452,886	$ 563,668
Customer revenues	153,826	195,480		452,886	563,668
Depreciation and amortization expense	21,057	22,616		62,871	68,865
Impairment of aircraft	0	22,065		0	22,065
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Finite-lived	0	2,282		0	2,282
Goodwill, Impairment Loss	0	2,797		0	2,797
Goodwill, Intangible Asset and Aircraft Impairment	0	27,144		0	27,144
Net unallocated interest expense	(3,668)	(3,304)		(10,886)	(10,944)
Net gain (loss) on derivative instruments	294	(1,881)		956	(5,437)
Write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs	0	0	(6,800)	0	(2,886)
Pre-tax earnings (loss) from continuing operations	18,959	(6,666)		47,873	17,581
Assets	1,025,505			1,025,505		993,719
CAM [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	39,155	37,045		115,073	101,935
Customer revenues	18,638	17,815		56,663	47,710
Depreciation and amortization expense	15,187	14,320		44,288	40,246
Impairment of aircraft	0	6,761		0	6,761
Segment earnings (loss)	17,334	9,395		50,819	36,495
Net unallocated interest expense	(3,100)	(2,800)		(9,100)	(7,900)
Assets	798,035			798,035		760,588
ACMI Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	123,317	163,036		358,142	474,450
Customer revenues	122,526	162,921		357,110	473,952
Depreciation and amortization expense	5,685	8,259		18,244	28,660
Impairment of aircraft	0	15,304		0	15,304
Goodwill, Impairment Loss	0	2,797		0	2,797
Segment earnings (loss)	(1,746)	(17,625)		(11,543)	(15,575)
Net unallocated interest expense	(200)	(300)		(700)	(900)
Assets	157,010			157,010		137,640
All other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	26,773	26,335		81,876	77,242
Customer revenues	12,662	14,744		39,113	42,006
Depreciation and amortization expense	185	37		339	(41)
Segment earnings (loss)	3,373	3,672		8,602	7,001
Assets	70,460			70,460		95,491
Eliminate inter-segment revenues [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(35,419)	(30,936)		(102,205)	(89,959)
Net unallocated interest expense [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net unallocated interest expense	(296)	(227)		(961)	(2,017)
Customer Relationships [Member] | ACMI Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Finite-lived	$ 0	$ 2,282		$ 0	$ 2,282