Amazon has started air freighter services in India, Amazon Air, will have two dedicated cargo aircraft with a capacity of 20,000 packages.
Akhil Saxena, Vice President, Customer Fulfilment, Amazon Air said: “Amazon Air comes to India at an important time. Our investment in Amazon Air will only further improve the delivery experience for our customers in India. Moreover, the launch will support over 1.1 million sellers in India, enabling growth for ancillary businesses such as transportation and aviation."
According to the company, its dedicated cargo service allows it to be more flexible with cargo shipments, since it now has two dedicated freight aircraft in its control and won’t have to rely completely on cargo services of airlines.
“We will use the cargo capacity in a Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by partner Quikjet Cargo Airlines Pvt to begin shipments in Hyderabad, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai. Amazon is offering space on its planes and charter flights, on top of plans to sublet excess warehouse space,” Saxena added.
Amazon Air has a fleet of more than 110 planes flying to more than 70 destinations worldwide. They operate out of small regional airports close to its warehouses, helping the company meet orders for one- and two-day delivery.
Amazon is trying to sell unused space in its cargo jets, as it adjusts to a post-pandemic slowdown that has forced it to cut 12,000 employees, or about 6% of its workforce. India is now the third market after the US and Europe to be covered by the Amazon Air service.