How Tiny Sun Country Struck an Unlikely Deal With Amazon to Transport Packages
Photo Credit: An Amazon Air Boeing 737 on display at the Paris Air Show earlier this year. Wikimedia / Matti Blume
Skift Take
Sun Country is America's smallest airline that operates big jets, like Boeing 737s. It competes in a scale business, so it is always at a disadvantage. The good news is that management has been prioritizing innovation.
Sun Country Airlines CEO Jude Bricker approached Amazon almost a year ago to try to sell it a used Boeing 737. Amazon wasn't interested, but a few months ago, its executives reappeared to float another idea: Would Sun Country fly cargo airplanes for the shipping giant?
It was an unusual request. With narrow-body aircraft, passenger airlines typically fly people, while cargo carriers fly freight. However, Bricker was intrigued. Since his time earlier this decade choosing new routes for ultra-low-cost-carrier Allegiant Air, Bricker has been more interested in profits than airline industry tradition. Bricker said yes.
It took some time to hash out details. But on Tuesday, the two companies announced Sun Country soon will operate 10 Boeing 737 freighters for Amazon, shuttling packages, not people, around the country during a six-year-contract. Amazon will own the freighters and decide where they fly, but the airplanes will be flown by Sun Country pilots under Sun Country's operating
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