Amazon just bought 12 new aircraft to speed up your Prime deliveries

News
By
published

Amazon Air expands air and ground cargo fleets to cope with lockdown demand

(Image credit: Amazon)

Your Amazon Prime deliveries could soon get even speedier after the company revealed a major expansion to its logistics network.

The Amazon Air arm of the business has acquired 12 new cargo aircraft as it looks to deal with the increased demand for deliveries during the global pandemic.

The converted Boeing 767-300 cargo planes, leased from the Air Transport Services Group, will be put into service soon, with one aircraft set to go into service this month, and the rest of the new additions starting in 2021.

Amazon Air

“Amazon Air is critical to ensuring fast delivery for our customers – both in the current environment we are facing, and beyond,” Sarah Rhoads, Vice President of Amazon Global Air said in a statement.

“During a time when so many of our customers rely on us to get what they need without leaving their homes, expanding our dedicated air network ensures we have the capacity to deliver what our customers want: great selection, low prices and fast shipping speeds.”

The move brings the Amazon Air fleet to 80 aircraft in total, with the craft not only delivering consumer goods, but business products too. This has recently included transporting essential PPE supplies for Amazon employees, frontline health workers and relief organisations across the U.S.

The company added that it was also expanding the Amazon Air ground network, with a new regional hub opening in Florida later this summer, and a further facility at San Bernardino International Airport opening next year.

Launched in 2016, Amazon Air already has operations out of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It will also look to open a new central Amazon Air Hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in 2021.

TOPICS
Mike Moore
Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.