Air India has announced that it is working to emerge as a major cargo carrier to bolster India’s cargo ecosystem and contribute to developing an efficient air cargo supply chain, accelerating exports from the country.
With a slew of new aircraft on order from Airbus and Boeing planned for induction, the Tata-owned airline plans to grow its cargo capacity by three folds in the next five years.
Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India, said, “At Air India, we see a huge potential in the air cargo industry, which the Indian Government plans to grow to ten million tonne by 2030. Our cargo division is implementing a series of strategic measures to foster growth and strengthen our market presence. The large passenger belly capacity addition will be augmented with the launch of value-added products and services across the network.
The airline's fleet will grow significantly over the next few years, boosting its belly capacity to carry cargo. While some of its new wide-body jetliners are slated to enter service this year, most other aircraft on firm order will arrive from 2025 onwards. Its firm orders comprise 34 A350-1000, six A350-900, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and 10 Boeing 777X wide-body jetliners.
This will increase its annual cargo capacity by three folds to two million tonne over the next five years with non-stop connection to key export markets globally.
Currently, it transports cargo to over 40 international and 38 domestic destinations, which is expected to grow dramatically with the induction of the new aircraft. The airline is also upgrading its IT Cargo System to enhance efficiency in areas like electronic data interchange, seamless connectivity with trade partners, and real-time flight and shipment status updates. These advancements will help Air India to deliver a wide range of services with global capabilities, viz. pharma logistics, door-to-door logistics with global partners, e-commerce, carriage of valuables, pets, cold chain for perishables, mail, trans-shipment with connection windows, etc.
Also Read