Today, at the International Paris Air Show, Amazon announced a partnership with GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) to lease an additional 15 Boeing 737-800 cargo aircraft taking the Amazon Air fleet to 70 jets. These fifteen aircraft will be in addition to the five Boeing 737-800’s already leased from GECAS and announced earlier this year. The aircraft will fly in the United States out of the more than 20 air gateways in the Amazon Air network.
As Amazon move to one-day Prime delivery in the US and bring more of their deliveries inhouse, Amazon Air will become increasingly important to move goods across the US from Amazon Fulfilment centers to be delivered the following day.
“These new aircraft create additional capacity for Amazon Air, building on the investment in our Prime Free One-Day program. By 2021, Amazon Air will have a portfolio of 70 aircraft flying in our dedicated air network.”
– Dave Clark, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations- Amazon
Launched in 2016 the Amazon Air operation can transport hundreds of thousands of packages per day. Amazon will open new air facilities this year at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Wilmington Air Park, and Chicago Rockford International Airport. The main Air Hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport will open in 2021.
Amazon has launched several initiatives to ensure fast delivery speeds and supply chain capacity for its customers, including its Delivery Service Partner program, Amazon Flex, the company’s mobile application that allows individuals to sign-up, be vetted and begin delivering for Amazon, a dedicated network of over 10,000 trailers to increase trucking capacity and, now, the expanded fleet of cargo aircraft.
These efforts join Amazon’s robust worldwide network of more than 185 fulfillment centers where the company uses high-end algorithms, robotics, machine learning and other technological innovations to increase delivery speeds for customers. Amazon is now bringing the same technological expertise to efforts in the transportation space to increase shipping capacity for customers
