EXECUTIVES from Amazon and CVG have attended the ground-breaking ceremony on the new Amazon cargo hub at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Making a surprise appearance at the event, Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos turned a little dirt for the occasion marking the start of work on Amazon's US$1.4 billion investment in the project which will support a fleet of more than 100 Prime Air cargo planes, according to CVG's website.
CVG, state and local officials say they worked with Amazon on a deal to: Lease more than 900 acres of CVG land for more than 50 years; construct three million square feet of buildings; and add more than 2,700 jobs to CVG's existing base of 10,000.
Amazon and CVG executives spoke at the ground-breaking as well as some pilots saying this is transformational for the area.
'It is really exciting for us, the fact that we will be operating aircraft out of this airport for years to come is just fantastic,' Amazon Air director Sarah Rhoads.
CVG CEO Candace McGraw said: 'They have about 18 planes flying in and out of here today and when this is done, you'll see dozens and dozens of aircraft.'
However, pilots who fly for Amazon, via contracted carriers Atlas Air, Southern Air and ABX Air, said this is causing some panic.
'The ground is falling out from underneath our carriers and to prevent disaster at Amazon and its new internal logistics network, Atlas Air and ATSG need to correct high attrition, low pay, and mistreatment of pilots by working with us to settle a fair contract,' they said in a statement.
Airport officials said passengers will not be impacted as the hub is being built. It's expected to officially open for business in 2021, reports Fox News.
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Making a surprise appearance at the event, Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos turned a little dirt for the occasion marking the start of work on Amazon's US$1.4 billion investment in the project which will support a fleet of more than 100 Prime Air cargo planes, according to CVG's website.
CVG, state and local officials say they worked with Amazon on a deal to: Lease more than 900 acres of CVG land for more than 50 years; construct three million square feet of buildings; and add more than 2,700 jobs to CVG's existing base of 10,000.
Amazon and CVG executives spoke at the ground-breaking as well as some pilots saying this is transformational for the area.
'It is really exciting for us, the fact that we will be operating aircraft out of this airport for years to come is just fantastic,' Amazon Air director Sarah Rhoads.
CVG CEO Candace McGraw said: 'They have about 18 planes flying in and out of here today and when this is done, you'll see dozens and dozens of aircraft.'
However, pilots who fly for Amazon, via contracted carriers Atlas Air, Southern Air and ABX Air, said this is causing some panic.
'The ground is falling out from underneath our carriers and to prevent disaster at Amazon and its new internal logistics network, Atlas Air and ATSG need to correct high attrition, low pay, and mistreatment of pilots by working with us to settle a fair contract,' they said in a statement.
Airport officials said passengers will not be impacted as the hub is being built. It's expected to officially open for business in 2021, reports Fox News.
WORLD SHIPPING