The new Indian all-cargo airline, Pradhaan Air Express, has announced that it will commence commercial operations later this year with an Airbus A320 converted freighter. The airline claims to be the first Indian carrier to operate an Airbus A320 narrow-body freighter.
The airline’s founder and CEO, Nipun Anand, said the all-cargo airline had received the nod from the Ministry of Civil Aviation with a No Objection Certificate (NOC). “We thank our lessor for having confidence in us to offer the world’s first A320 converted freighter for the Indian market. This will secure dedicated cargo capacity boosting the trade’s self-reliance. A second aircraft will be inducted by the year end with plans for further fleet expansion,” Anand said.
The Delhi-based all-cargo airline will offer dedicated capacity on domestic and international routes, and its first converted freighter aircraft is slated to arrive in the city later this month. The aircraft will have a payload capacity of 21 tonne with a fully palletised main deck.
Vipul Bhalla, CBO, Pradhaan Air Express, said the carrier would offer tailor-made solutions with on-demand charters to meet the air cargo requirements of the industry.
The A320 has been leased from Vaayu Group / Astral Aviation and the freighter conversion was undertaken by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a joint venture of ST Engineering and Airbus, at its facility in Singapore.