Get ready for more jumbo jets in the skies northeast of Manteca and swooping in over Highway 99 to land at Stockton Metro Airport.
Amazon.com — the largest year-round private sector employer in the Northern San Joaquin Valley — is upping its jumbo jet cargo flights into Stockton.
Atlas Air has been issued a permit by Airport Director Harry Mavrogenes to start flying its jets into Stockton to move goods for Amazon.com — the world’s largest Internet retailer.
Air Transport International already flies three cargo flights into Stockton for Amazon every day.
Both carriers each fly 20 aircraft for Amazon. An Atlas spokesman said a definite flight schedule has not been set but expects flights to start as the holiday season approaches.
Amazon employs more than 4,000 workers at two Tracy fulfilment centers — one that opened recently on Mountain  House parkway moves big items such as large screen TVs and patio furniture — and a fulfillment center in Patterson. Tracy is within 19 miles of the airport and Patterson within 38 miles.
Air Transport International already employs more than 50 workers at Stockton Metro to load and unload cargo. They added a third daily Boeing 767 cargo in August.
Atlas will bring the number of scheduled air cargo firms flying into Stockton to two.
Stockton may soon have a second commercial airline offering flights as well.
The airport has received a $650,000 grant from the federal Department of Transportation to recruit daily air service to Los Angeles. The most likely carrier is Sky West Airlines.
International passenger service to Guadalajara in Mexico is being proposed as well.
Allegiant Airlines several months ago launched passenger flights to San Diego in addition to flights to Phoenix and Las Vegas.
“Stockton Airport is located in a prime location for transporting goods throughout Northern California,” Mavrogenes said. “We’re excited by this opportunity to provide the services needed by the air cargo carriers and are prepared to meet any expanding demand.”
Commercial and cargo flights taking off and landing from Stockton head to and come in from the southeast.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com