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Amazon buys its first planes to expand air freight capacity

Amazon has announced its first-ever purchase of eleven Boeing 767-300 aircraft. The purchases include seven aircraft from Delta and four aircraft from WestJet, which will join the online retailers network by 2022.

According to Amazon, this fleet expansion comes at a time when customers are relying on fast, free shipping more than ever.

“Our goal is to continue delivering for customers across the U.S. in the way that they expect from Amazon, and purchasing our own aircraft is a natural next step toward that goal. Having a mix of both leased and owned aircraft in our growing fleet allows us to better manage our operations, which in turn helps us to keep pace in meeting our customer promises,” Sarah Rhoads, Vice President of Amazon Global Air says.

Sarah Rhoads, Vice President of Amazon Global Air.

Amazon Air plays a central role in delivering for customers by transporting items across longer distances in shorter timeframes. The four aircraft purchased from WestJet in March are currently undergoing passenger to cargo conversion and will join Amazon Air’s network in 2021, and the seven aircraft from Delta will enter Amazon’s air cargo network in 2022. The company says it will continue to rely on third-party carriers to operate these new aircraft.

Amazon Air also announced its purchase of six million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel and has already invested in leading-edge electric ground service equipment and solar rooftop panels planned at some facilities. Since Amazon Air’s launch in 2016.

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