Page 12 - ITLN March - April 2022 issue

Spotlight
Air India
Express

Cargo in Cabin

Success Story of

Air India Express

How did a small Indian airline faced with the uncertainties of the pandemic revive itself
from the slump and in the process end up aiding farmers, one of the most vulnerable
communities through the pandemic in an amazing tale of resilience and revival?

Lakshmi Ajay

efore the pandemic, cargo had Sons recently. It operates 649 flights per
simply been a by-product for When the pandemic week to 33 destinations including the
many airlines! However, this began and the Middle East and Southeast Asia and has
Bairline scripted a turnaround a fleet of 24 Boeing 737-800s.
tale in its cargo fortunes by carrying country went
only cargo even as its operations into a complete Why don't we ship cargo?
were hit by the Covid pandemic back “All our planes were stuck, borders
in March 2020. Riding on the back of lockdown, Air India were closed and we were just in the
delivering perishables from tier 2 and Express helped dark and didn’t know what to do.
3 Indian cities to the world, this Cochin Like every airline, we had to keep
headquartered low cost- airline Air Indian farmers find our planes serviced and running as
India Express became one of the early international markets you can’t just keep them parked.
innovators to switch to cargo-in-cabin They have to be fueled so that the
services back in 2020. for their produce and engines are run on a daily basis, the
Incidentally, the biggest beneficiary helped to export over aircraft is in ship shape, which is an
of this innovation especially when the expenditure. We also had to fly planes
pandemic hit was India’s farmers and 35000 tons of produce to keep slots alive in the important
food producers community who were worth more than airports with ghost flights. This was
staring at either letting their produce when we thought, ``Why don’t we ship
rot away or selling them locally for ₹1000 crores through cargo?” avers an Air India Express
throwaway prices. this endeavour. spokesperson in a conversation with
The Air India Express Limited is
a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Indian flag carrier Air India, which has
subsequently been bought by Tata

10 March - April 2022 www.itln.in