亚马逊未来的货运飞机是空客A330

A subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group is preparing to be the second operator of Airbus A330 converted freighter aircraft for Amazon, starting the company’s transition away from the Boeing 767 medium widebody jet as the primary platform for its two cargo airlines. 

It’s been a busy week for the diversified lessor and operator of freighter aircraft, which also announced three changes to its executive team and picked up a dedicated flying contract for a Miami-based freight forwarder as management looks to diversify air cargo business beyond traditional outsourced airline service for Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and DHL Express.

Air Transport Services Group is the largest partner in Amazon’s air logistics network, flying parcels and freight across the United States on the mega-retailer’s behalf with a combination of its own and Amazon-supplied aircraft. ATSG has served Amazon since 2016 with Boeing 767-200 and 767-300 cargo jets. Amazon’s fleet stands at more than 100 aircraft, 56 of which are operated by ATSG companies – including 13 flown by ABX Air.

Alaska Airlines operates 11 Airbus A330 freighters for Amazon.

Amazon spokesman Terrence Clark confirmed that ATSG recently received its first A330 freighter specifically modified from passenger configuration for Amazon and said the company anticipates signing a lease for the plane. He declined to comment about potential future commitments.

ATSG expects to begin flying the aircraft type for the e-commerce titan in the first quarter of 2027, ATSG spokeswoman Kym Parks said in an email exchange.

ABX is currently developing programs with the Federal Aviation Administration so it can add the aircraft to its operating certificate, including for training, flying and maintenance, Parks said.

Management plans to hire more pilots and maintenance personnel as more capacity is added to the fleet. Meanwhile, subsidiary Airborne Maintenance & Engineering is developing an Airbus maintenance program to maintain the company’s A330 assets at the Wilmington Air Park in Ohio, where ATSG is headquartered, and in Tampa, Florida, she added. 

The shift to the A330 has been in the works for several years in recognition of the fact that the number of mid-life Boeing 767 passenger aircraft available as feedstock for cargo reconfiguration is dwindling as the type is no longer manufactured and gradually ages out of service. 

ATSG has said it intends to acquire and convert 30 A330s for cargo to diversify its midsize aircraft offering. The modification work is done by Airbus aftermarket services affiliate Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH. So far it has delivered two A330 freighters to Turkey-based all-cargo carrier ULS Airlines Cargo. The process has taken longer than originally planned as the company has toned down capital expenditures to ensure strong cash flow and EFW dealt with supply chain challenges. 

Trade publication Cargo Facts first reported about ATSG adding A330s to its cargo fleets to support Amazon. 

The A330 is slightly larger than the 767, but overall offers similar efficiency and operational economics, according to ATSG.

“The Airbus addition represents the future fleet for ATSG. The 767 still has years of use in our network and can support charter and [bundled aircraft, crew and maintenance packages], but the medium-widebody of the future will be the A330,” Parks told FreightWaves.

New transportation customer

Meanwhile, Global Aviation Link, an international freight broker based in Miami, has engaged ABX Air to operate a Boeing 767-300 to Latin America, ATSG said in a news release on Tuesday. Under the arrangement, ABX Air will provide the aircraft and operate it, while Global Aviation Link is responsible for marketing the cargo space and managing the overall service. Parks said the transportation service agreement is for one year.

ABX Air started flying to Quito, Ecuador, on September 2, Global Aviation Link said in a LinkedIn post Wednesday. The service operates six days per week. The forwarder said it intends to soon expand its network to Venezuela and Peru. The three countries are major exporters of flowers and fruit. 

GAL began offering scheduled cargo service between Miami and Bogota, Colombia, three years ago. The service operates seven days per week with a Boeing 767-300 from an unknown carrier, according to the company’s website.

Executive moves

ATSG on Wednesday said it hired three new executives, continuing a series of management changes since private equity firm Stonepeak acquired the company in April 2025 for $3.1 billion. Greg May, the former chief operating officer at Sun Country Airlines, was appointed president and chief executive officer in 2025 and this year the company named new heads for Cargo Aircraft Management, the leasing subsidiary, and human resources. Most of the new executives do not have pure air cargo experience, coming from companies outside the industry or in which air cargo is part of a larger business (ex. Sun Country is a passenger airline that also flies a fleet of cargo jets for Amazon). 

Mike Hough was named group president, airlines and services, with responsibility for overseeing ATSG’s airline operating companies and aviation services businesses as a single integrated group. ATSG also owns a passenger airline that provides charter service for the U.S. military and other groups, and an aircraft maintenance and engineering company.

The position essentially represents a realignment of duties previously associated with the chief operating officer, which the company says will strengthen financial accountability and maximize the combined strength of the units. Former COO Ed Koharik has taken a position outside ATSG, Parks said.

Hough previously served for eight years as CEO of GAT Airline Ground Support, which was acquired by PrimeFlight Aviation Services in February. During his tenure, the provider of ground handling, aircraft catering, cargo handling, warehousing and other services grew from 34 locations to more than 80, while increasing revenues from $64 million to over $300 million, mostly through organic growth, according to his LinkedIn profile. Before that he held senior management roles at a large assisted living services provider, airline services provider Air Serv Corp., and several passenger airlines.

The two other hires were for new roles. Tim Schulze is ATSG’s chief risk and corporate development officer. He is tasked with creating new business opportunities across the enterprise while ensuring the company is not exposed to investment, financing, insurance and governance risks. He most recently served as chief financial officer for fintech startup BidWizer, which developed a digital car-buying platform that connects dealership inventory, credit union financing options and consumer preferences in a single workflow, enabling dealers and credit unions to close more vehicle vehicle transactions and facilitating the consumer buying process. Before that he spent 17 years in a variety of roles at Barings LLC, an alternative investment management firm, including as chief risk officer. 

Doug Belding joined ATSG as vice president, enterprise performance and operating systems after nearly 16 years at FedEx, including four years at FedEx subsidiary Genco. His brief calls for driving systems, process and management improvements. At FedEx, Belding held several managing director positions related to global customs clearance and brokerage, business transformation, engineering and operations, new business implementation and project management

Why It Matters: ATSG is a major cog in Amazon’s e-commerce business. Moving packages and inventory by air to warehouses around the country enables Amazon to meet its promise of fast delivery, which pleases shoppers and leads to more sales. Amazon is also selling space on aircraft to third-party businesses seeking to ship freight. Incorporating the A330 in its airline fleet represents a major investment by ATSG, but a necessary one to support Amazon and other customers in the future. 

Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.

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