Online retailer Amazon has signed a deal to lease 20 Boeing 767 freight planes from Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) in a bid to move into air cargo.

The commercial contract agreements will include leasing the 20 freight planes to Amazon Fulfillment Services by ATSG's Cargo Aircraft Management division and the operation of the aircraft by ATSG's airlines, ABX Air and Air Transport International, reports Logistics Manager.

Other details will see Amazon receive gateway and logistics services from ATSG's LGSTX Services.

Amazon will be leasing the carriers for between five and seven years and the agreement covers the operation of the aircraft for five of those years.

Speaking on the decision to lease the freight vehicles, Amazon senior vice president Dave Clark said: "We're excited to supplement our existing delivery network with a great new provider, ATSG, by adding 20 planes to ensure air cargo capacity to support one and two-day delivery for customers."

Joe Hete, president and CEO of ATSG, echoed these sentiments and stated that their partnership will show that this air cargo network can be the way to adequately support "existing transport and distribution resources".