SpiceJet on Monday said it will induct its first wide body Airbus A340 cargo aircraft in its freighters fleet. The budget carrier plans to use this aircraft primarily to operate cargo flights on long-haul routes including to destinations in Europe, CIS and African region, company said in its release.
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.
Speaking about the benefits of a wide body aircraft, SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said, “The induction of our first wide-body cargo aircraft will be a huge game changer in our journey as the country’s largest cargo operator… 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.”
According to the release, SpiceJet as an air cargo services provider has operated over 5,600 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 aircraft to carry cargo in the passenger cabin, it added.
“SpiceJet’s international cargo network now spans over 41 international destinations that include Almaty, Abu Dhabi, Baghdad, Bahrain, Bangkok, Cambodia, Cairo, Cebu, Colombo, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, 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,” the airline said in a statement.