Amazon launches air operations at Spokane International Airport

Amazon began operations Thursday at its newest air-cargo hub at Spokane International Airport, becoming only the second facility of its kind in the state of Washington.

The first Amazon Boeing 737 cargo aircraft, operated by Sun Country Airlines, arrived just after 2 a.m. Thursday in Spokane and service will continue daily.

Amazon Air’s Spokane hub will be managed by Trego-Dugan Aviation. The site is expected to create 50 jobs.

“We are thrilled to expand Amazon Air operations in Spokane to improve capacity for shipment of customer packages in the region,” Chris Preston, director of Amazon Air Gateway Operations, said in a statement.

Spokane County Commissioner Al French is the chair of the public development authority S3RE Solutions, which pushed to bring the air cargo facility to the airport.

“The addition of Amazon Air to Spokane is incredibly exciting because it represents enhanced service to the area and demonstrates Amazon’s confidence in our region,” French said. “The air gateway will improve service for the people of Spokane and others in the area.”

Spokane Airport Board Chair Ezra Eckhardt, who is also the CEO and president of Spokane Teachers Credit Union, said he has been looking forward to the launch of the new cargo facility.

“This new location will expand Amazon’s presence, not only in Spokane, but in some of the most rural areas in the region,” Eckhardt said in a news release. “Throughout the last year especially, they’ve focused on getting necessary items to customers quickly and efficiently and we’re honored to be a part of those efforts here in our backyard.”

The launching this week of the air-cargo hub follows the opening of the second area Amazon fulfillment center in Spokane Valley last month. The company also has plans to open a delivery station and sortation center in 2022 next to the fulfillment center that opened in Airway Heights in 2020.

According to the release, the company has created more than 80,000 jobs and invested more than $129 billion in the state in the past decade.

“We are thrilled to welcome Amazon Air to Spokane and look forward to creating new jobs in the months ahead for Spokanites,” said Vincent Dugan, the president of Trego-Dugan Aviation of Spokane. “We partner with companies who share our values, and Amazon supports our commitment to hire local people across our operations – we’re excited to continue our partnership with the company in Spokane.”Tom Clouse can be reached at (509) 459-5495 or at tomc@spokesman.com.