Amazon 'Prime' plane takes flight

Washington : Online giant Amazon unveiled its first branded airplane Friday, part of what is expected to be a fleet of "Prime Air" cargo planes.

Amazon over the past year began working with aircraft leasing firms and cargo operators to reduce its dependence on commercial carriers, but Friday's announcement is the first to show its own branded aircraft.

The company was set to unveil the plane, Amazon One, at the Seafair Air Show in its hometown of Seattle, Washington.

The Boeing 767-300 was to participate in a flight demonstration as part of the air show.

"Creating an air transportation network is expanding our capacity to ensure great delivery speeds for our Prime members for years to come," said Dave Clark , Amazon's senior vice president of worldwide operations.

"I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate the inaugural flight than in our hometown at Seafair alongside Amazon employees and Seattle residents."

With the Amazon Prime logo painted on the fuselage, Amazon One is one of 40 planes that Amazon has agreed to lease through air cargo partners.

There are currently 11 dedicated airplanes flying for Amazon with additional ones rolling out over time.

Amazon is moving to take greater control of its logistics to ensure speedy one- or two-day delivery for subscribers of its Prime service.

In recent years, UPS and Fedex have struggled with the high volume of goods ordered online to meet delivery commitments.