Amazon Air has begun daily flights to Mobile International Airport. The first flight in the new arrangement arrived at 2:30 a.m. today.
To sort and load packages, Amazon Air has leased 16,000 square feet in a building at the airport, which is just a dozen miles from a 362,000-square-foot Amazon sortation center that opened in 2017
“We are excited to expand Amazon Air to Mobile, providing customers throughout Alabama and the surrounding region faster shipping speeds,” said Chris Preston, director of Amazon Air Gateway Operations. “Amazon continued to invest and grow in Alabama, and this new gateway ensures we can deliver on our customer promise of fast, reliable deliveries.”
Chris Curry, president of the Mobile Airport Authority added, “The daily cargo service will strengthen BFM’s impact as a regional transportation hub. We are grateful to the Amazon team’s commitment to Mobile and look forward to a strong partnership.”
Airport Authority Chairman Elliot Maisel noted, “Amazon’s investment builds on Sen. Richard Shelby’s vision to utilize existing infrastructure to create a new transportation hub and economic power source for the entire state.”
Michael Boyd, who leads aviation consulting group Boyd Group International, added that “Air logistics are now a major part of America’s economic system. Speed and efficiency in product distribution and delivery are the future. This new Amazon program underscores the transition of Mobile into one of America’s most unique and aggressive multi-modal transportation hubs, encompassing land, sea, rail and air modalities.
Amazon Air operated in more than 50 U.S. airports. The new operation in Mobile will link to Alliance Field in Fort Worth, Texas.