Cargo Breaking News
More than 214 Lifeline Udan flights have been operated by Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to transport essential medical cargo to the remote parts of the country. The North East region, island territories and the hill states have got the special focus with the collaboration of Air India and IAF primarily for J&K, Ladakh, North-East and other island regions. Bulk of the cargo comprises light-weight and voluminous products like masks, gloves and other consumables, that consume relatively larger storage space on the aircraft. Special permission has also been taken to store cargo in the passenger seating area and overhead cabins, with due precautions.
Out of 214, 128 flights have been operated by Air India and Alliance Air and cargo transported till date is around 373.23 tonnes. The aerial distance covered by Lifeline Udan flights till date is over 1,99,784 km, informs, Usha Padhee, JS, MoCA. The cargo load carried on 11th April 2020 was 108 Tons.
Domestic cargo operators; SpiceJet, Blue Dart and Indigo are operating cargo flights on a commercial basis. SpiceJet has operated 286 cargo flights covering a distance of 4,01,290 km and carrying 2334.51 tonnes of cargo. Out of these 87 were international cargo flights. BlueDart operated 94 domestic cargo flights covering a distance of 92,075 km and carrying 1479 tonnes of cargo. Indigo has operated 25 cargo flights covering a distance of 21,906 km and carrying around 21.77 tons of cargo. This also includes medical supplies carried free of cost for the government.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the aviation industry is determined to support India’s war against COVID-19 by transporting medical air-cargo within India and abroad in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.
