Air Transport International (ATI)

Big-picture snapshot

Air Transport International (ATI) is a Part 121 cargo and charter airline based in Wilmington, Ohio, operating approximately 46 aircraft — primarily Boeing 767-300 freighters and 757-200 combis — as the largest carrier in Amazon Air's network and a major military charter operator for the U.S. Department of Defense. ATI is a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), which was taken private in April 2025 through a $3.1 billion acquisition by Stonepeak Partners. ATI employs approximately 550 active pilots represented by ALPA.

For interview purposes, the simplest way to frame ATI is this: it is Amazon's biggest air carrier. ATI flies more 767 freighter sorties for Amazon Air than any other operator in the world, running the domestic and international e-commerce freight network that delivers tens of millions of packages. ATI also holds a $646 million military charter contract with the U.S. Transportation Command, flying troops and cargo to deployed locations worldwide. The operation is home-based — there are no traditional domiciles — and the fleet is exclusively Boeing 757 and 767, giving all pilots a common type rating.

However, ATI is also in the middle of a deeply contentious contract situation. As of early 2026, pilots have been in negotiations for over five years with no ratified agreement. A tentative agreement was reached in August 2025, then rejected by ATSG/Stonepeak ownership. ATI pilots are the lowest-paid 767 pilots flying for Amazon, and the labor dispute is the defining issue for anyone considering ATI.

Company history

ATI traces its origins to 1978, though its corporate lineage is complex. The carrier that became Air Transport International evolved through several name changes and ownership transfers during the 1980s, eventually adopting the ATI name in 1988.

Key milestones:

• 1978: Predecessor carrier founded (originally US Airways Inc., a cargo operator — no relation to the passenger airline)
• 1988: Renamed Air Transport International
• 1990-1991: Earned commendations for supporting Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, flying military cargo to the Persian Gulf
• 1994: Early safety challenges — three DC-8 hull losses in four years, two fatal; NTSB cited insufficient oversight
• 2007: Cargo Holdings International (ATI's parent) acquired by ABX Holdings
• 2008: ABX Holdings renamed to Air Transport Services Group (ATSG)
• 2013: ATI merged with sister subsidiary Capital Cargo International Airlines (CCIA), consolidating under ATI's operating certificate
• 2016: Amazon partnership began — ATI became a primary CMI operator for Amazon Air
• 2018: Current collective bargaining agreement signed (March 21, 2018) — the contract pilots are still operating under
• 2020: Contract negotiations opened (June 2020) — five years of negotiations with no resolution as of early 2026
• 2025: ATSG acquired by Stonepeak Partners for $3.1 billion (completed April 11); ATI secured $646 million DOD military charter contract (July); tentative pilot agreement reached August then rejected by ownership; pilot virtual picket December
• 2026: Contract dispute ongoing; pilots preparing for potential strike authorization

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