News / Amazon wanted to partner, then copied our air cargo strategy, claims start-up

Photo: © Hannah Babiak

It’s something of a David and Goliath situation – but perhaps with a different outcome. A regional start-up air cargo company in the US is suing Amazon.

The company claimed, in a lawsuit filed yesterday, “misappropriation of trade secrets, fraudulent inducement, breach of implied contract, unjust enrichment, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, conversion, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, civil conspiracy, and violations of the Ohio Deceptive Trade Practices Act”. 

The chronologically confusing case centres on Ohio-based TuffAir, founded in October 2024, which claims it had “spent years developing a novel, proprietary cargo logistics strategy, specifically tailored to Ohio’s aerospace infrastructure and economic corridors”. 

Amazon had expressed interest in a partnership or acquisition, claimed TuffAir, which then gave Amazon “detailed disclosures” of trade secrets and confidential information, “in good faith”. 

“After securing access to TuffAir’s materials, Amazon abruptly ceased communications, only to unveil a remarkably similar regional air cargo model within months, based on the same technical, operational, and strategic elements TuffAir had disclosed.” 

The model included information on “regulatory pathways, aircraft routing strategies, facility optimisation models and proprietary operational forecasts”, it claimed. 

TuffAir’s mission, according to its website, is to redefine “regional air cargo by combining smart, fixed-route freight operations with a powerful mission to serve underserved communities and US veterans”. 

“We are launching in Fall 2025 with high-performance aircraft, lean operations, and a scalable model to connect overlooked freight corridors across the Midwest. 

“With our Veterans Transportation Initiative, we’re also donating ground and future air transport to help veterans reach VA care. 

“TuffAir isn’t just a cargo start-up, it’s a movement for impact, logistics, and equity,” it said. 

However, despite promising to launch in the third quarter of this year, with “efficient, mid-capacity aircraft”, on routes from Toledo to second-tier airports in Dallas, Chicago, Allentown, Atlanta, and Phoenix, there appear to be no applications for regulatory approvals, or evidence of available aircraft as yet.

The rates, however, have been listed at $1.90 to $2.25 per/lb. (One pound is equal to 0.454 of a kg – making rates from between about $3.80 per kg to $4.40, not dissimilar from current rates from China to the US.) 

TuffAir said in its lawsuit that it would also integrate UAV, electric, and hybrid aircraft technologies in its strategy. 

The lawsuit continues: “Public information and internal communications show that Amazon began developing its regional model shortly after its last meeting with TuffAir. Amazon acknowledged the novelty of TuffAir’s model and expressed interest in a potential partnership or acquisition, requesting detailed operational and financial projections. After a series of meetings and communications, Amazon abruptly ceased all contact in mid-2025. 

“Within months of cutting off discussions, Amazon unveiled a new regional cargo system that mirrored key elements of TuffAir’s proposal, including regional hubs in Ohio, small aircraft routing, and regulatory carve-outs.” 

TuffAir has not put a figure on the claim, but said it had suffered  “substantial economic damage” and that “misappropriation has caused lasting harm to TuffAir’s market opportunity, investor confidence, and proprietary lead”. 

Amazon has yet to respond.