Amazon Air will begin flights to Anchorage International Airport (ANC) later this week, on June 27. According to a post ANC published on Twitter last week, Amazon Air will operate daily services to the airport utilizing its 767 freighter network.
The e-tailer will operate out of ANC’s Kulis Business Park, south of the airport’s east-west runways, according to the post.
While the move further expands Amazon’s growth of its network in the United States and its delivery services within Alaska, the move also offers a potential starting point for Amazon to seek to expand its presence in Asia moving forward. ANC followed the initial news with a tweet stating that the airport “is perfectly situated to support the movement of e-commerce goods between Asia and North America, and this new business fits with our strategy of maximizing ANC potential for development.”
Amazon has issued no statement to that effect thus far, though China would clearly be an attractive market for the e-commerce giant. However, Amazon would face tough competition from local Chinese express carriers, including the logistics arm of Amazon’s Chinese competitor, Cainiao, which is making its own efforts to go global.
ANC’s statement is more likely meant to support the airport’s efforts to attract carriers and further develop e-commerce and perishable volumes moving through the airport. Earlier this year, ANC announced plans to construct new facilities in support of its transfer program. In the past year, the airport has also welcomed the operations of Chinese express carrier, SF Express, as well as increased frequencies from Cathay Pacific and Cargolux.
