Airplane in "Prime Air" livery: So far, Amazon has only used leased planes
Photo: STEPHEN BRASHEAR / AFP
The online retailer Amazon wants to use its own aircraft to deliver its customers' orders, which have risen sharply during the corona crisis.
For the first time own machines have been acquired, the company announced.
A total of eleven Boeing 767-300 aircraft have been bought from the airlines Delta and WestJet, it said.
The planes are now to be converted into cargo machines and gradually transferred to Amazon's fleet.
Billionaire Jeff Bezos' company started its program of delivering goods by air four years ago.
So far, however, Amazon has relied on leased machines.
Having a mix of own and rented aircraft in the "growing fleet" helps improve business and meet customer requirements, said Sarah Rhoads, Vice President of Amazon Global Air.
Fresh money for ailing airlines
The new machines are to be integrated into the Amazon fleet in 2022.
It was only in June that the group announced that it would lease twelve aircraft of the same series.
The Amazon fleet had grown to more than 80 machines.
According to the specialist portal airliners.de, ASL, Sun Country Airlines, Air Transport International, Atlas Air and Southern Air already fly for Amazon.
Worldwide corona closings have made Amazon's business boom.
In Germany, however, the Federal Cartel Office is also investigating allegations that the online retailer blocked other retailers because of allegedly excessive prices.
Most recently, members of the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag also called for online retailers to pay for the costs of the municipalities with a package delivery.
For the airlines, the now well-known Amazon purchase should be a welcome source of income.
Because of global air travel restrictions, they are looking for ways to get fresh money.
Icon: The mirror
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