Amazon places first owned 767 freighter with ATI

Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) affiliate Air Transport International (ATI) has been awarded a CMI contract to operate the first 767-300BDSF, that Amazon acquired outright and put through conversion on its own.

ATSG confirmed that the aircraft (msn 25274, ex C-FOGJ of WestJet) is now registered with ATI as N503AZ and is currently in Wilmington (OH).

The aircraft has been converted by IAI Bedek in Tel Aviv, Israel. It is the first of eleven 767 freighters that Amazon bought. Last year Amazon announced that it had secured four ex WestJet 767-300ERs and seven ex Delta 767-300ERs.

The four aircraft purchased from WestJet are currently undergoing passenger-to-cargo conversion and will join Amazon Air’s network in 2021. The seven aircraft purchased from Delta will enter Amazon’s air cargo network in 2022. These fleet additions will ensure added capacity in Amazon Air’s network for years to come. Amazon will continue to rely on third-party carriers to operate these new aircraft. Until now it relied for its aviation business on aircraft leased from other carriers.

It currently has a fleet of 43 Boeing 767-300ER (converted) freighters operated on ACMI lease by Atlas Air and ATI, as well as 22 Boeing 737-800BCFs operated on ACMI lease by Sun Country Airlines, Southern Air and ASL Airline Ireland.

“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 with meeting our customer promises.” said Sarah Rhoads, Vice President of Amazon Global Air. “Our goal is to continue delivering for customers across the US in the way that they expect from Amazon, and purchasing our own aircraft is a natural next step toward that goal”.