Amazon has bought all four of WestJet’s Boeing 767 jets as part of its first aircraft purchase, the online retail giant announced Tuesday.
The planes, which Amazon bought last March, are being converted and will join the retailer’s air cargo fleet later this year, Amazon said in a statement.
Seven other airplanes, which Amazon bought from United Airlines, will join the fleet in 2022.
Calgary-based WestJet says it removed its Boeing 767s from service last year and shifted to Boeing 787 Dreamliners, CBC News reported.
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Prior to this, Amazon had built its cargo airline network using leased planes. In June, the company leased 12 Boeing 767-300 converted cargo aircraft from Air Transport Services Group Inc, bringing its total fleet to more than 80.
“Having a mix of both leased and owned aircraft in our growing fleet allows us to better manage our operations,” said Sarah Rhoads, vice president of Amazon Global Air.
The company said in October its heightened spending on delivery infrastructure would likely continue over years.
HuffPost Canada with a file from Reuters