AS forwarders warn of capacity constraints amid India's second, and worsening, Covid crisis, low-cost carrier IndiGo is the latest airline to enter the freighter market, reports UK's The Loadstar.
IndiGo said last week it had signed a letter of intent for two A321 passenger-to-freighter conversions and is in the process of sourcing two more. It already operates a fleet of more than 280 aircraft, mostly A320s and A321 neos.
The first freighter is due for delivery in the first half of 2022, and will be used on both domestic and regional routes.
IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta, said: 'Cargo has been a success story over the past year, creating new records, but our belief in the cargo business goes beyond the special circumstances right now.
'IndiGo was the largest carrier of cargo in domestic India before Covid-19, and we expect the market to continue to grow after the pandemic.'
However, competing low-cost carrier Spicejet also claims to be the largest cargo airline in India, following rapid growth last year during the country's first lockdown in March, when passenger flights were grounded. Operated by cargo-unit SpiceXpress, the airline has 19 cargo aircraft, including five widebodies.
IndiGo, on the other hand, had to make do with carrying cargo in passenger-cabins, which appears to have whetted the appetite for full-blown freighter operations, after handling around 200,000 tonnes last year.
Willy Boulter, IndiGo's chief commercial officer, said its international routes would be 'a mix of South-east Asia and Middle East, including Hong Kong and, potentially, South China'.
Meanwhile, India's new Covid-crisis could cause another dip in air cargo capacity - international airlines have begun suspending flights to and from the country, and domestic routes also face new restrictions.
'Reduction of belly space as passenger flights reduce domestically will have an impact, but we are confident we can fill the gap with cargo-in-cabin charters,' said Mr Boulter.
SeaNews Turkey
IndiGo said last week it had signed a letter of intent for two A321 passenger-to-freighter conversions and is in the process of sourcing two more. It already operates a fleet of more than 280 aircraft, mostly A320s and A321 neos.
The first freighter is due for delivery in the first half of 2022, and will be used on both domestic and regional routes.
IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta, said: 'Cargo has been a success story over the past year, creating new records, but our belief in the cargo business goes beyond the special circumstances right now.
'IndiGo was the largest carrier of cargo in domestic India before Covid-19, and we expect the market to continue to grow after the pandemic.'
However, competing low-cost carrier Spicejet also claims to be the largest cargo airline in India, following rapid growth last year during the country's first lockdown in March, when passenger flights were grounded. Operated by cargo-unit SpiceXpress, the airline has 19 cargo aircraft, including five widebodies.
IndiGo, on the other hand, had to make do with carrying cargo in passenger-cabins, which appears to have whetted the appetite for full-blown freighter operations, after handling around 200,000 tonnes last year.
Willy Boulter, IndiGo's chief commercial officer, said its international routes would be 'a mix of South-east Asia and Middle East, including Hong Kong and, potentially, South China'.
Meanwhile, India's new Covid-crisis could cause another dip in air cargo capacity - international airlines have begun suspending flights to and from the country, and domestic routes also face new restrictions.
'Reduction of belly space as passenger flights reduce domestically will have an impact, but we are confident we can fill the gap with cargo-in-cabin charters,' said Mr Boulter.
SeaNews Turkey