The extraordinary story of how Amazon Air took off

Absolutely brilliant long read from Wired on how Amazon created its own airline from scratch. As is often the case, it was born out of crisis – its main air carriers, FedEx and UPS, appeared unable to guarantee delivery of a huge consignment of Amazon Kindles to its Seattle distribution facility in time for the 2014 Christmas shopping bonanza. In response, Amazon developed a plan modelled on DHL’s approach to running its North American operations, which largely relies on joint-ventures or outsourcing, via ACMI contracts and to US cargo operations.

“It seemed as if the sentiment was leaning toward acquisition until [Amazon boss Jeff] Bezos spoke – last, as he typically did in these meetings so as not to inhibit discussion. “Planes are planes,” an employee recalls him saying. “What are we going to do to differentiate?” This was a Bezos maxim. He preferred to spend Amazon’s prodigious resources on initiatives where the company would not only be profitable, but disruptive.”