Amazon closes US airfreight facility
16 / 02 / 2024
Photo: Amazon
Amazon Air is closing its airfreight facility at Kelly Field Airport, San Antonio, Texas, in a move that is set to affect ground handler employees at Worldwide Flight Services.
E-commerce giant Amazon did not state why it is closing the facility at the joint-use airport, however, it told Air Cargo News that supply chain operations would not be affected.
Amazon spokesperson Sam Stephenson said: “We’re always evaluating our operations to better serve our customers and have made the decision to stop operations at Kelly Field. Worldwide Flight Services is a valued partner and we’ll continue working with them at other locations. This decision will not impact customer deliveries in the San Antonio area.”
Amazon added that its Texas airfreight facilities in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston continue to operate.
Amazon did not confirm how many WFS workers employed to handle cargo at the Kelly Field facility would lose their jobs, however, San Antonio Express-News reported that 65 warehouse employees were affected, and WFS wrote in a letter to the Texas Workforce Commission that the closure of the facility in April is expected to be permanent.
ACN has contacted SATS-owned WFS for comment.
Against a year of lower air cargo demand and economic challenges, Amazon Air in October 2023 decided to close its airfreight facility at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany. This followed a decision in July 2023 to reduce the number of flights it carries out in Europe.
Amazon has also been cutting back on its flights in North America. CargoFacts confirmed in July last year that the e-commerce firm had ended its operations with regional carrier Silver Airways. The carrier had been operating five ATR-72 aircraft on behalf of Amazon.
ATSG also said last year that Amazon, along with DHL, was also scaling back its operations with them.
Amazon Air currently has a fleet of 85 aircraft in service, according to the Planespotters website.
