A major shift is taking shape within Amazon’s air cargo network, with the Airbus A330 set to become the next-generation freighter platform for one of its key operating partners.
Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) subsidiary ABX Air is preparing to become the second operator of Airbus A330 converted freighters for Amazon, marking the beginning of a transition away from the Boeing 767 as the primary aircraft platform used by its two cargo airlines.
The development comes during a particularly active period for ATSG. The diversified aircraft lessor and operator has also announced three changes to its executive team and secured a dedicated flying contract with a Miami-based freight forwarder. The moves form part of management’s broader effort to diversify its air cargo activities beyond its traditional outsourced airline services for Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and DHL Express.
ATSG remains the largest operating partner in Amazon’s air logistics network. Its companies move parcels and freight across the United States on Amazon’s behalf using a combination of ATSG-owned aircraft and aircraft supplied by Amazon.
ATSG has worked with Amazon since 2016, operating Boeing 767-200 and 767-300 freighters. Amazon’s fleet now exceeds 100 aircraft, with 56 operated by ATSG companies, including 13 aircraft flown by ABX Air.
Alaska Airlines currently operates 11 Airbus A330 freighters for Amazon.
ATSG recently received its first A330 freighter specifically converted from a passenger configuration for Amazon. The company expects the aircraft to enter service for the e-commerce giant during the first quarter of 2027, according to ATSG spokeswoman Kym Parks.
Amazon has committed to multi-year operating leases covering four A330 aircraft in total, Parks said.
ABX Air is now working with the Federal Aviation Administration to develop the programs required to add the A330 to its operating certificate. Those preparations cover training, flight operations and maintenance.
As additional capacity enters the fleet, ATSG expects to hire more pilots and maintenance personnel. Its subsidiary Airborne Maintenance & Engineering is also developing an Airbus maintenance program that will allow the company to support the aircraft at Wilmington Air Park in Ohio, ATSG’s headquarters, as well as in Tampa, Florida.
The move away from the Boeing 767
ATSG’s move toward the A330 has been under development for several years.
The company has recognized that the supply of mid-life Boeing 767 passenger aircraft available for conversion into freighters is gradually shrinking. The 767 is no longer manufactured, while existing aircraft continue to age and progressively leave passenger service.
ATSG has said it plans to acquire and convert 30 A330s for cargo operations, broadening its midsize freighter portfolio.
The conversion work is being carried out by Airbus aftermarket services affiliate Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (EFW). EFW has so far delivered two A330 freighters to Turkey-based all-cargo carrier ULS Airlines Cargo.
The conversion program has taken longer than initially expected. ATSG has moderated capital expenditures in an effort to maintain strong cash flow, while EFW has also faced supply chain challenges.
Trade publication Cargo Facts was the first to report that ATSG was adding A330s to its cargo fleet to support Amazon.
Amazon spokesman Terrence Clark said the company expects to sign a lease for the A330 currently being integrated into ABX Air’s operating license. He declined to comment further on additional aircraft.
The A330 is somewhat larger than the Boeing 767, but ATSG says the two aircraft offer broadly comparable efficiency and operating economics.
“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
ATSG is also expanding beyond its traditional Amazon and DHL business.
Global Aviation Link (GAL), an international freight broker based in Miami, has hired ABX Air to operate a Boeing 767-300 on routes to Latin America, ATSG said in a news release Tuesday.
Under the agreement, ABX Air supplies and operates the aircraft, while Global Aviation Link markets the available cargo capacity and manages the overall service. Parks said the transportation service agreement runs for one year.
ABX Air began operating flights to Quito, Ecuador, on September 2, according to a Wednesday LinkedIn post from Global Aviation Link. The service operates six days per week.
GAL said it plans to expand the network to Venezuela and Peru in the near future. Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru are all major exporters of flowers and fruit.
Global Aviation Link began scheduled cargo service between Miami and Bogota, Colombia, three years ago. According to the company’s website, that service operates seven days per week using a Boeing 767-300 from an unidentified carrier.
ATSG reshapes its executive team
ATSG announced three executive appointments Wednesday, continuing a series of management changes that have followed Stonepeak’s acquisition of the company for $3.1 billion in April 2025.
Greg May, formerly chief operating officer at Sun Country Airlines, became ATSG’s president and chief executive officer in 2025. This year, the company has also appointed new leaders for Cargo Aircraft Management, its leasing subsidiary, and human resources.
Many of the new executives come from outside the dedicated air cargo sector. Others have experience in businesses where cargo operations represent only part of the overall company, such as Sun Country, a passenger airline that also operates cargo aircraft for Amazon.
Mike Hough has been appointed group president, airlines and services. He will oversee ATSG’s airline operating companies and aviation services businesses as a single integrated group.
ATSG also owns a passenger airline providing charter services for the U.S. military and other organizations, as well as an aircraft maintenance and engineering company.
The new position effectively realigns responsibilities previously associated with the chief operating officer role. ATSG said the change is intended to strengthen financial accountability and maximize the combined capabilities of the business units.
Former COO Ed Koharik has left ATSG for a position outside the company, Parks said.
Hough spent eight years as CEO of GAT Airline Ground Support before the company was acquired by PrimeFlight Aviation Services in February.
During his tenure, GAT, which provides ground handling, aircraft catering, cargo handling, warehousing and other services, expanded from 34 locations to more than 80. Revenue increased from $64 million to more than $300 million, primarily through organic growth, according to Hough’s LinkedIn profile.
Earlier in his career, Hough held senior management positions at a large assisted living services provider, airline services provider Air Serv Corp. and several passenger airlines.
The other two appointments are newly created positions.
Tim Schulze has joined ATSG as chief risk and corporate development officer. His responsibilities include developing new business opportunities across the company while ensuring ATSG remains protected against investment, financing, insurance and governance risks.
Schulze most recently served as chief financial officer at fintech startup BidWizer. The company developed a digital car-buying platform connecting dealership inventory, credit union financing options and consumer preferences through a single workflow. The system was designed to help dealers and credit unions close more vehicle transactions while facilitating the consumer purchasing process.
Before joining BidWizer, Schulze spent 17 years in a variety of roles at Barings LLC, an alternative investment management firm, including serving as chief risk officer.
Doug Belding has joined ATSG as vice president of enterprise performance and operating systems after nearly 16 years with FedEx, including four years at FedEx subsidiary Genco.
His responsibilities include driving improvements in systems, processes and management.
At FedEx, Belding held several managing director positions covering global customs clearance and brokerage, business transformation, engineering and operations, new business implementation and project management.
Why the A330 matters to Amazon’s air network
ATSG plays a major role in Amazon’s e-commerce logistics operation. Moving packages and inventory by air to fulfillment facilities across the country helps Amazon maintain its fast-delivery promise to customers, a model that supports shopping activity and sales.
Amazon is also making aircraft capacity available to third-party businesses seeking to move freight.
For ATSG, incorporating the Airbus A330 into its fleet represents a significant investment. The move nevertheless positions the company to continue supporting Amazon while expanding the aircraft options available for other customers as the Boeing 767 gradually reaches the later stages of its operational life.
