Amazon could be poised to launch its own air freight transportation operations, bypassing express operators, to take more control of its logistics and speed up deliveries, according to US media reports.
The Seattle Times, citing industry sources, reported that the global e-commerce giant is in talks with Boeing to lease at least 20 B767 freighters, and has held talks with wet-lease cargo operators Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), Atlas Air and Kalitta Air.
According to the newspaper, the online retail giant wants to build up its own cargo operations to avoid delays from carriers such as UPS which have struggled to keep up with the rapid growth of e-commerce. Amazon uses USPS, UPS and FedEx for the bulk of its US deliveries.
The speculation follows recent reports that Amazon is apparently behind a trial air cargo operation at Wilmington, Ohio, the airport where DHL Express formerly had its North America air hub. ATSG, with a major base at Wilmington, has apparently been operating flights to various parts of the country on behalf of Amazon. ATSG CEO Joe Hete said in November that the group’s airlines ATI and ABX Air are operating five planes on behalf of an undisclosed customer.
Citing industry sources, the Seattle Times wrote in a detailed article that Amazon might decide in January 2016 whether to go beyond the trial operation and make a major move into its own air transport operations, probably by contracting flights to be operated by cargo airlines.
