Amazon has suspended its cargo operations with 21 Air, the carrier whose branded plane crashed in Miami last week, killing five people. The decision was made after reviewing circumstances surrounding the incident, and Amazon will use other carriers for shipments.
The crash and Amazon's subsequent suspension of operations with 21 Air highlight potential risks in Amazon's outsourced air cargo model and could lead to increased scrutiny of safety protocols for its delivery network.
Amazon has suspended its use of cargo carrier 21 Air following a fatal crash of an Amazon-branded plane in Miami. The decision was announced on Sunday, with Amazon notifying 21 Air leadership of the pause in operations. The incident involved a 21 Air Boeing 767-300 cargo flight that overran a runway while landing at Miami International Airport on September 6, resulting in the deaths of five people on the ground and injuring five others. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel stated that the company reviewed circumstances around the crash as it supported the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation. Amazon has indicated it will reroute shipments to other carriers, including Sun Country Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Transport International, ABX Air, ASL Airlines, and Cargojet. 21 Air CEO Keith Winters expressed condolences to the families of those affected and pledged cooperation with investigators. Data from the flight's cockpit voice recorder suggested that one pilot cautioned about the aircraft's speed during landing, and speed brakes and thrust reversers were not deployed.