KOCHI:
SpiceJet, the country’s biggest air cargo operator, carried 175 MT of lychee and fish seeds from Kolkata and Patna to different parts of the country in the month of May 2020 lending a helping hand to farmers by ensuring a timely and efficient transport of their produce and reaffirming its commitment to the government’s ‘Krishi Udan’ and ‘Marine Krishi Udaan’ initiatives.
SpiceJet transported 110 MT of lychee from Kolkata to different parts of the country including 50.43 MT to Bengaluru, 27.35 MT to Delhi, 23.19 MT to Mumbai, 5.63 MT to Ahmedabad and 2.11 MT to Chennai. The airline also ferried 60 MT of fish seeds from Kolkata to different cities including 26.09 MT to Imphal, 23.63 MT to Kochi and 5.59 MT to Chennai among others. SpiceJet ferried 7 MT of lychee from Patna to Mumbai & Bengaluru.
Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “We carried 175 MT of lychee and fish seeds from Kolkata and Patna to different parts of the country in the month of May 2020. Transport of perishables like fish seeds, lychee, shrimp are a concern due to their shorter shelf-life and have been a primary cause of worry for the farmer community. Our strong cargo network has ensured that these perishables are transported on-time and conveniently, boosting India’s farming community.”
Between March 25 and May 8, 2020, SpiceJet transported a record 950 tons of shrimp and 1070 tons fresh farm produce to different parts of the country. SpiceJet has transported over 13,600 tons of cargo on 2000 flights since the nation-wide lockdown began.
SpiceJet recently converted three Q400 passenger aircraft into freighters, perfectly suited for operations to Tier II & III cities. Now, with a dedicated fleet of eight freighters, the airline is set to provide further boost to the agro exports across the country.
SpiceJet has operated special cargo flights to and from Jakarta, Kathmandu, Khartoum, Incheon, Cebu, Huangzhou, Tashkent, Baghdad, Cambodia, Guangzhou, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Egypt, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Colombo, Dubai, Kabul, Myanmar, Sharjah, Kyrgyzstan, Male, Kuala Lumpur, Ukraine and a host of other places.
The airline operated the country’s first cargo-on-seat flight on April 7 carrying vital supplies in passenger cabin & belly space. Since then, SpiceJet has been regularly deploying its B737 and Q400 passenger aircraft to carry cargo in the passenger cabin.
SpiceXpress, SpiceJet’s dedicated cargo arm, has been regularly transporting surgical supplies, sanitizers, face masks, coronavirus rapid test kits, IR thermometers etc. and providing doorstep deliveries of essential supplies, medicines and medical equipment to various cities in India. The airline has helped Indian farmers maintain continuity of their supply chains by operating special cargo flights to take farm produce, fresh fruits and vegetables to various domestic and international destinations.
