Amazon buys 11 aircraft to make deliveries faster

Amazon.com Inc said on Tuesday it bought 11 Boeing 767-300 aircraft, as it looks to boost its delivery capabilities to cater to a surge in online orders.

The aircraft, including seven from Delta Air Lines and four from WestJet Airlines, will join Amazon's air cargo network by 2022, the online retailer said in a statement.

In June, Amazon had leased 12 Boeing 767-300 converted cargo aircraft from Air Transport Services Group Inc, bringing its total fleet to more than 80.

“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,” said Sarah Rhoads, vice president of Amazon Global Air. 

"Having a mix of both leased and owned aircraft in our growing fleet allows us to better manage our operations," Rhoads added. 

The company said in October its heightened spending on delivery infrastructure would likely continue over years. 

Last year, Amazon launched its first international air hub at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany and new regional air operations at Lakeland Linder International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Richmond International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, Kahului Airport, Kona International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Louis Armstrong International Airport.