Page 13 - ITLN March - April 2022 issue

the Indian Transport and Logistics
News (ITLN).
Another innovation that Air India
Express greenlit was launching P2C
(Passenger to Cargo) flights that cater
to the directional cargo demand while
optimising operations. For doing this,
the airline obtained all the necessary
regulatory approvals from DGCA and
introduced a cargo-in-cabin service
to fly India’s Krishi exports to UAE,
Maldives, and SouthEast Asia in 2020
and 2021.
“Most of our fleet was the Boeing
737-800 aircraft, which has a belly
cargo-carrying capacity of 7 tonnes,
out of which 6.5 tonnes can be used
volumetrically. Flying a plane with
just 6.5 tonnes is not worth it, so then
we thought if we could carry cargo in
the aircraft passenger seats and the
hat-racks where you keep your bags. The Mango season in April, May of 2020 saw Air India Express shipping out Indian
So we retained the seats as we didn’t mangoes to other countries
know when the situation would clear
and travel restrictions would cease. latched, so that it does not come to the With DGCA’s nod, the airline then
The entire Boeing 737-800 aircraft has aisle during bad weather conditions roped in shippers and agents to apprise
a payload of 19 tonnes including the and so that there is enough space for them of the opportunity, and with the
areas for passengers and for baggage. the crew to walk the aisle, to inspect due approvals in place, it operated the
It is in those places where we were the exit rows and if there is a fire then first such cargo-in-cabin flight on 17th
planning to carry cargo.” the airline's what protocol is to be followed; all April 2020.
spokesperson said. these things were well written and Thus, P2C flights ferried cargo (in
He added that the approvals documented,” the spokesperson said. the aircraft belly holds as well as in the
entailed amending operating SOPs, cabin) in outbound flights and carried
which involved close co-operation passengers in inbound flights. A typical
and involvement between the airline’s flight thus carried a full capacity payload
Engineering, Operations, Cargo, of cargo in the outbound direction,
Airport Services, and Flight Safety eg, Cochin – Kuwait; the aircraft was
Departments, as well as liaising with offloaded, cleaned, and sanitised at
the aircraft manufacturer Boeing. “We the foreign destination within 2 hours,
submitted the document to the DGCA while the crew stayed onboard (as
entailing how we will safely fly these most countries were restricted for
aeroplanes. In it, we had come up with arrivals and crew hotel layover was not
points as to how cargo will be well permitted). The inbound flight carried a
full load of passengers once air bubble
arrangements by various governments

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www.itln.in March - April 2022