IndiGo CarGo has expanded its network with the introduction of freighter flights linking Kolkata, India, with Ezhou, China. The new service, which commenced this week, operates three times a week between Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) in Kolkata and Ezhou Huahu Airport (EHU) in central China’s Hubei Province.
Mark Sutch, Chief Commercial Officer of IndiGo CarGo, highlighted the significance of the new route in a LinkedIn post. “It is a great pleasure to announce the launch of IndiGo CarGo’s latest international freighter service,” Sutch wrote. “This new route between Kolkata and Ezhou will operate three times a week, enhancing our global network.”
Sutch emphasized the strategic advantage of Ezhou’s location in central China, noting its extensive connectivity via road to major Chinese cities.
This new service marks IndiGo CarGo’s inaugural freighter route to China. Although the airline currently operates two daily passenger flights between New Delhi and Guangzhou, this freighter route represents a significant expansion into the Chinese market.
While the specific aircraft used for this new route were not detailed by Sutch, data from Planespotters indicates that IndiGo CarGo operates three leased Airbus A321 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) aircraft. The airline received its first A321P2F in October 2022, followed by the second in December 2022 and the third in October 2023. These aircraft, leased from Castlelake Aviation Holdings (Ireland) Limited, support a payload of up to 27 tonnes.
The A321P2F conversions are carried out through a collaboration between ST Engineering and Airbus, with Elbe FlugzeugWerke (EFW) overseeing the joint venture.
IndiGo CarGo’s initial operations with its A321P2F fleet began at the end of 2022 with routes between Delhi and Mumbai.
In addition to the new freighter route, IndiGo Cargo recently announced an interline agreement with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP). This partnership will provide IndiGo with expanded access to the global network of the Paris-headquartered group and enhance AFKLMP’s presence in the Indian market.
