Low-cost carrier Indigo Airlines on Tuesday commenced operations of its first A321 freighter aircraft between Delhi and Mumbai, effective November 15, 2022.
The 'IndiGo CarGo' aircraft was converted from a passenger jet to a full freighter configuration. The freighter will carry general and e-commerce cargo on the return leg in the inaugural Delhi- Mumbai flight.
The inaugural flights will carry a payload of more than 20 tonne on each leg. The airline received its first A 321F last month. Two aircraft are expected to arrive by December end and these will be deployed on international routes as well.
Mahesh Malik, the chief commercial officer of cargo, said, "We have commenced a new chapter in IndiGo’s journey with the inaugural cargo flights. Delhi & Mumbai are the two biggest commercial hubs in the country, response received from customers for our cargo is very encouraging."
He further added, "We expect the business to grow over the coming few months, as we expand our fleet of freighters and add new destinations to our cargo network."
The A321P2F (Passenger-to-Freighter conversion) is considered an efficient narrow-bodied freighter. The aircraft has 24 container positions and supports a payload of up to 27 tonne.
The aircraft is being converted by Elbe FlugzeugWerke, a joint venture between Airbus and ST Engineering. IndiGo has leased the aircraft from funds serviced by Castlelake Aviation Holdings (Ireland).
Airlines in the country are shifting focus to cargo operations as an additional revenue stream. The number of freight airplanes in the country has increased from single-digit to double-digit.
