Air India plans to expand its cargo operations and triple its carrying capacity within five years

With an excellent strategy to increase its cargo-handling capacity, Air India is prepared to restructure its freight and cargo operations.

The Tata group airline will soon get wide-body aircraft from aviation heavyweights Airbus and Boeing, which would give it a significant boost. The mammoth 470-plane order includes a remarkable 70 wide-body aircraft, including 34 A350-1000s, six A350-900s, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and ten Boeing 777Xs.

According to a formal announcement issued on Wednesday, Air India intends to boost its yearly cargo carrying capacity by an astounding 300 percent, reaching a colossal 2 million tonnes over the next five years. The Indian government’s ambitious ambition to develop the air cargo sector to an astonishing 10 million tonnes by 2030 is in line with this huge increase in capacity.

The wide-body aircraft will be crucial in growing Air India’s cargo operations because of their non-stop connectivity to important export destinations throughout the globe. This tactical choice is consistent with the Indian government’s efforts to advance the nation’s air cargo and logistics sectors.

According to Boeing’s commercial market projection, the industrial and e-commerce sectors would be the main drivers of India’s air cargo growth, which is expected to climb by an average of 6.3 percent annually. According to figures from the Airports Authority of India, Indian airports handled 3.2 million tonnes of cargo in the fiscal year 2022–2023, with domestic cargo growing by an impressive 10% year over year and foreign freight declining by 5%.

In order to play a key role in the air cargo market, Air India is actively working on a number of projects in the operational and logistical sectors. The airline is committed to spending significant capital investment in creating airport and logistical facilities in partnership with its joint venture partner SATS. Air India is also looking at ways to increase cargo capacity via partnerships with other parties.

Currently, Air India offers cargo flights to 38 domestic and over 40 overseas locations. The airline is getting ready to open three 24-hour control centers for seamless integration and enhanced consumer interaction in an effort to further improve customer service and operational efficiency.

Air India is aggressively concentrating on strengthening interline agreements and trucking network links in order to increase its reach and solidify relationships. In order to increase trans-shipment volumes and efficiency at significant airports like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, it has already formed relationships with offline trucking sites throughout the globe.

Air India seeks to maximize efficiency in cargo operations via the implementation of cutting-edge technology like blockchain and artificial intelligence. To increase efficiency, the airline has made temporary adjustments to its current IT cargo system, allowing electronic data exchange, seamless interaction with business partners, and real-time information on flight and shipment status.

Air India is prepared to significantly expand its cargo operations thanks to these audacious goals and strategic efforts, further solidifying its place on the international scene.

To improve productivity in areas including electronic data exchange, seamless interaction with trading partners, and real-time notifications on flight and shipment status, short-term adjustments are being made to the company’s current IT cargo system. With these revolutionary measures, Air India is prepared to start a wonderful journey toward becoming a major player in the world’s air freight market.