By first targeting Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and China, Air India Cargo plans to commence large-scale world-wide freighter operations to these destinations in the second half of the year, reports India's Business Standard newspaper.
"We are looking at aggressive pricing strategies in line with our product standards and competitors," said an unnamed Air India Cargo executive.
Once these destinations are absorbed into the airline's system, the newspaper said Air India Cargo would then look to serve Seoul, Tokyo, Dhaka, Dubai, Doha, Amsterdam, Toulouse, New York and Australia.
This would expand destinations served from Air India Cargo's current international stops at Dammam, Frankfurt and Paris. "Eight teams from Indian and Air India are doing feasibility studies in terms of inbound and outbound cargo between India and these other destinations," the executive said.
India ranks among the top 30 freighter markets in the world having experienced 20 per cent growth in freighter loads last year. While domestic airfreight traffic saw a growth of 15 per cent, international traffic grew by 25 per cent in 2007, though Indian carriers only carried 12 per cent of it.
The newspaper also reported a severe import-export imbalance to China. While 20,000 tonnes came from Hong Kong in 2007, only 7,200 tonnes went the other way, and while 3,900 tonnes came from China, only 1,500 went back.
At present, the Air India has two Airbus A310s for international services and three converted Boeing 737s for domestic cargo flights. It plans to take its cargo fleet to 10 aircraft by the end of this year. "An A310 can carry 34 tonnes. However, we might go for higher capacity aircraft," said the executive.
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