New JPATS aircraft
Transportation of US prisoners by air is the responsibility of the US Marshals Service. In 1995, the air fleets of the Marshals Service and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement merged to create Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS).
JPATS serves approximately 42 domestic and international cities, plus other major cities in the US on an as-required basis. The organisation is well know by the film "Con Air" with Nicolas Cage in the lead role. In this film a C-123K Provider was used as a prisoner aircraft. However, the type was never in service with the US Marshals.
The JPATS air fleet consists of two Boeing 737-4Y0 (N279AD msn 26279/2221 and N640CS msn 26078/2431), one Boeing 737-7AX (N738A msn 30182/690) and one Boeing 737-8Q8 (N311MS msn 30670/1481). All scheduling is handled at JPATS headquarters, located in Kansas City (MO) with the air fleet operations centre at Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport (OK) with a hub in Las Vegas (NV).
In August 2023 JPATS requested for bids to purchase one additional Boeing 737-700 or Boeing 737-800 with trade-in of one the 400s. Delivery of the new aircraft is expected early 2024.
Photo by Hector Antonio - HR Planespotter (via planespotters.net)