Amazon Air is a virtual cargo airline operating exclusively to transport Amazon packages. In 2017, it changed its name from Amazon Prime Air to Amazon Air to differentiate themselves from their Amazon Prime Air autonomous drone delivery service. However, the Prime Air logo remains on the aircraft. Until January 2021, the airline had relied on wet-leasing its aircraft from other operators, but going forward it is looking to directly own some aircraft. On the planes the airline owns, the airline will still rely on others for CMI leases.
An Amazon Air Boeing 737-800(BCF) operated by Sun Country Airlines.
Amazon Air aircraft parked at its main hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Virtual airline (economics)
In economics, a virtual airline is an airline that has outsourced as many possible operational and business functions as it can, but still maintains effective control of its core business. Such an airline focuses on operating a network of air services, and outsourcing non-core activities to other organizations. Contracting out services within the aviation industry has reportedly become so common that many carriers could be classed as having features of a virtual airline, although it is arguable whether any current carriers meet a strict definition of the term.
A Dornier 228 with the livery of virtual airline Manx2; the aircraft was actually operated by FLM Aviation, with Manx2 being a ticket broker.