Amazon Air has expanded its network into Kansas for the first time with the opening of a regional gateway facility at Wichita Eisenhower National Airport, as it continues a relentless push to bring air access to more of the country to support expedited delivery for Prime customers.
The electronic retail and logistics giant’s private airline launched daily cargo service between Wichita and its regional hub at Fort Worth Alliance Airport in Texas on Thursday. The flights are operated by Silver Airways using an ATR72-500 turboprop aircraft.
Silver Airways, a privately held regional airline based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that operates passenger service in the Southeast, Bahamas and the Caribbean with small propeller aircraft and seaplanes, is Amazon’s latest outsourced transportation partner. It began flying under contract with Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) in November, serving Des Moines, Iowa, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, from Alliance. Other companies that fly under the Amazon Air umbrella are Atlas Air (NASDAQ: AAWW), Air Transport Services Group’s (NASDAQ: ATSG) ABX Air and Air Transport International, Sun Country (NASDAQ: SNCY), and ASL Airlines in Europe.
The Wichita Airport Authority said in a news release that it leased 10,691 square feet in its cargo terminal to Trego-Dugan Aviation, Amazon’s subcontractor in charge of sorting and loading packages for their next destination. PrimeFlight Aviation will also lease 1,470 square feet to provide de-icing services.
The location has easy access to Interstate 235 and a highway.
Amazon operates two facilities in the Wichita area: a 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Park City and a 140,000-square-foot delivery station in the northeast part of the city.
In the past year, Amazon Air has added at least 10 destinations to its route structure and 24 aircraft. It serves more than 45 domestic airports that are within 100 miles of more than 70% of the U.S. population. In August, Amazon Air opened its $1.5 billion primary package hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
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