Amazon Air launched operations at its first-ever regional air hub in Europe this month at the Leipzig/Halle Airport in Schkeuditz, Germany. The new operations expand the regional capacity of Amazon Air to continue delighting customers in Germany and throughout Europe.
The 20,000 square meter cargo facility at Leipzig/Halle Airport will create an additional connection within Amazon’s fulfillment network in Europe, bringing greater selection and more flexible delivery options at a lower price to Prime members. The company has also leased two branded Boeing 737-800 aircraft from GECAS that will be operated by ASL Airlines on behalf of Amazon Air in Europe. These aircraft will join Amazon’s existing fleet of more than 70 aircraft operating within Amazon Air’s global dedicated air cargo network by end of the year.
“Companies and end customers benefit from strong, reliable supply chains. And how important these are has become particularly evident during the corona pandemic.” Michael Kretschmer, Minister-President Saxony.
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The site has already started to support customer deliveries with two daily flights. The facility is creating more than 200 jobs in the community, adding to the more than 1.500 jobs the company already offers in Leipzig. Amazon has been rooted in the Leipzig region since 2006. Dietmar Jüngling, the former general manager of the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Leipzig, now leads the team that will sort, load, and unload parcels from trucks to the planes and vice versa.
“We appreciate all the support of the community in embracing these operations and the long-term economic impact and job creation opportunities we will bring to the region,” said Jüngling. “We have been hard at work to build and train a team to build our air cargo network in the region while maintaining a safe working environment. Our objective is to ensure we are able to support the changing needs of customers during this challenging time and beyond.”
This new Amazon Air operation in Europe will enable the company to continue to deliver for customers at a time when people in communities across the region are relying on having the items they need delivered directly to their doorstep. In addition to customer deliveries, during the global pandemic, Amazon Air also helped transport essential Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for Amazon associates throughout Europe, including 29 million masks, 100.000 thermometers and 3 million gloves to distribute to Amazon associates in Europe.
Michael Kretschmer, Minister-President Saxony: “It speaks clearly in favor of Saxony as a business location that Amazon continues to invest heavily in Leipzig and is opening its new freight center here at the airport. This creates state-of-the-art jobs for a large number of skilled workers. I am sure that the Amazon Air regional hub will attract more innovative companies to the region to settle here. Companies and end customers benefit from strong, reliable supply chains. And how important these are has become particularly evident during the corona pandemic.”
Goetz Ahmelmann, CEO Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG: “We are delighted to have won another well-known logistics company for Leipzig/Halle Airport. Leipzig/Halle is clearly a very special hub in European freight traffic for Amazon Air. We have scored points in Central Germany with our exceptionally good infrastructure and our recognized expertise in air freight. Leipzig/Halle is already number two in the German airfreight business and number five in Europe. We will invest heavily to expand our position. This will benefit the region, but also the whole of Germany as a business location“.
