GURUGRAM:
SpiceJet, India’s favourite airline and the largest air cargo operator, is set to induct its first wide-body Airbus A340 cargo aircraft. The A340 would primarily be used for transporting cargo goods and essential supplies on long-haul routes including to destinations in Europe, CIS and Africa.
With the latest induction, SpiceJet will have a dedicated fleet of nine freighter aircraft consisting of five Boeing 737s, three Bombardier Q-400s and one Airbus A340.
Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “The induction of our first wide-body cargo aircraft will be a huge game changer in our remarkable journey that has seen SpiceJet emerge as the country’s largest cargo operator. Very soon, an Indian carrier will be proudly operating non-stop cargo services across the globe to destinations in Europe, Africa and CIS countries which till a few months back would have been unthinkable. We are confident that our long-haul cargo flights would further help boost Indian businesses, farmers, pharma companies providing them seamless access to newer markets.”
SpiceJet has played a key role in keeping the country’s supply chain intact during the nationwide lockdown. The country’s largest cargo operator, SpiceJet, has operated more than 5600 flights transporting over 31,000 tonnes of cargo since March 25, 2020.
On April 7, 2020, SpiceJet operated India’s first cargo-on-seat flight carrying vital supplies in passenger cabin and belly space. Since then, the airline has been regularly deploying its B737 and Q400 passenger aircrafts to carry cargo in the passenger cabin.
In May 2020, SpiceJet converted three Q400 passenger aircraft into freighters for operations to tier II & III cities and to remote and hilly areas.
In addition to handling its regular cargo business, SpiceJet has also transported surgical supplies, sanitizers, face masks, coronavirus rapid test kits, IR thermometers etc. and provided doorstep deliveries of essential supplies, medicines and medical equipment to various cities in India at a time when most people wouldn’t venture out of their homes. The airline also contributed in a big way to support the government’s ‘Krishi Udan’ and ‘Marine Krishi Udaan’ initiatives, thereby lending a helping hand to Indian farmers, by carrying shrimp & farm produce during the lockdown period.
SpiceJet’s international cargo network now spans over 41 international destinations that include Almaty, Abu Dhabi, Baghdad, Bahrain, Bangkok, Bishkek, Cambodia, Cairo, Cebu, Chad, Colombo, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Huangzhou, Incheon, Jakarta, Kabul, Kathmandu, Khartoum, Kyrgyzstan, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Male, Myanmar, Shanghai, Singapore, Sharjah, Sulaymaniyah, Tashkent, Ukraine, among others. The airline has also been actively using Ras Al-Khaimah airport as a hub for its cargo operations.
