CleanupBot II at 17:37, 13 August 2023

2023-08-13T17:37:54Z

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{{short description|Airline}}
{{moresources|date=August 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}

{{Infobox Airline
|airline = Air India Cargo
|image = airindiacargo.jpg
|IATA = AI
|ICAO = AIC
|callsign = AIR INDIA
|parent = [[Air India Limited]]
|founded = 1932
|ceased= 2012
|headquarters = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
|key_people = Arvind Jadhav (CMD)
|hubs =
<div>
* [[Indira Gandhi International Airport]] (Delhi)
</div>
| secondary_hubs =
<div>
* [[Chennai International Airport]] (Chennai)
* [[Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport]] (Mumbai)
</div>
|fleet_size = 6
|destinations = 13
|website = [http://www.airindia.in/cargo-operation.htm]
|aoc=|focus_cities=|frequent_flyer=|num_employees=}}

'''Air India Cargo''' was a [[cargo airline]], it was the freight carrying subsidiary of [[Air India]], based in [[Mumbai]]. It operated freighter aircraft services off and on at different stages of its history, the latest being from 2006 to 2012. Although the company has stopped operating as an airline it continues to manage the belly cargo hold capacity of Air India's passenger fleet.

==History==
Air India Cargo was set up in 1932,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/166389/12/12_chapter2.pdf|title=PROFILE OF SELECTED AIRLINE COMPANIES IN INDIA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/34/Air-India-Limited.html|title=Air-India Limited – Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Air-India Limited|website=www.referenceforbusiness.com|access-date=23 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Air-India|title=Air India {{!}} Indian airline|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=23 August 2018|language=en}}</ref> and started its freighter operations with a [[Douglas DC-3]] aircraft, giving Air India the distinction of being the first Asian airline to operate freighters.

Between the 1980s and 1990s it operated [[Boeing 747]] and [[Douglas DC-8]] freighter aircraft on various international routes through other companies.

In 2006 the airline relaunched freighter services following the merger of [[Indian Airlines]] and its domestic subsidiary [[Air India Regional|Alliance Air]] with Air India; which led to the acquisition of a single [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-200C]] aircraft from Alliance's fleet, plus ten additional passenger versions of the aircraft, of five were converted to freighters.{{cn|date=August 2018}} One of these was also painted in Indian Airlines' old livery for a brief period after conversion. All six aircraft were flying on Air India Cargo domestic routes.{{cn|date=August 2018}}

Air India also converted four of its [[Airbus A310|Airbus A310s]]. These were deployed on the Dammam-Frankfurt route.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-india-likely-to-launch-mumbai-frankfurt-flight-from-june/articleshow/64098548.cms|title=Air India likely to launch Mumbai-Frankfurt flight from June|date=9 May 2018|work=The Economic Times|access-date=23 August 2018}}</ref> After ending international operations two were leased out to new cargo startup [[Aryan Cargo Express]], while a third was sold to an African company.

In November 2007, Air India partnered with GATI for a dedicated freighter service using the 737s.{{cn|date=September 2019}}

With rising competition from local cargo airlines as well as financial issues, Air India Cargo ended freighter aircraft operations in early 2012.

==Destinations==
{{Main|List of Air India Cargo destinations}}
[[File:Air India Airbus A310-304 VT-EQS.jpg|thumb|Air India Cargo [[Airbus A310|Airbus A310-304F]]]]
Air India Cargo served the following cities with freighter aircraft until January 2012; it also had ground truck-transportation arrangements on select destinations.

;India
* '''[[Telangana]]'''
** [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]] – [[Rajiv Gandhi International Airport]]
* '''[[Delhi]]'''
** [[Indira Gandhi International Airport]] <small>'''Hub'''</small>
* '''[[Goa]]'''
** [[Dabolim Airport]]
* '''[[Gujarat]]'''
** [[Ahmedabad]] – [[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport]]
* '''[[Karnataka]]'''
** [[Bangalore]] – [[Kempegowda International Airport]]
* '''[[Kerala]]'''
** [[Kozhikode]] – [[Calicut International Airport]]
** [[Kochi]] – [[Cochin International Airport]]
** [[Thiruvananthapuram]] – [[Trivandrum International Airport]]
* '''[[Maharashtra]]'''
** [[Mumbai]] – [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport]] <small>'''Hub'''</small>
* '''[[Manipur]]'''
** [[Imphal]] – [[Imphal International Airport]]
* '''[[Tamil Nadu]]'''
** [[Chennai]] – [[Chennai International Airport]] <small>'''Hub'''</small>
* '''[[Uttar Pradesh]]'''
** [[Lucknow]] – [[Amausi Airport]]
* '''[[West Bengal]]'''
** [[Kolkata]] – [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport]]

International routes included [[Dammam]] and [[Frankfurt]], some other routes were also operated.

==Fleet==
{{Main|Air India Cargo fleet}}
Air India Cargo operated the following aircraft at January 2012:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://home.airindia.in/SBCMS/Webpages/Fleet-Details1.aspx?MID=196 |title=Air India fleet details |access-date=5 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423061715/http://home.airindia.in/SBCMS/Webpages/Fleet-Details1.aspx?MID=196 |archive-date=23 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<center>
{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"
|+ '''Air India Cargo Fleet'''
|- bgcolor=#E32636
!<span style="color:white;">Aircraft</span>
!<span style="color:white;">Total</span>
!<span style="color:white;">Notes</span>
|-
|[[Boeing 737|Boeing 737–200(Adv)F]]
|5
|rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;" |{{mdash}}
|-
|[[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-200C(Adv)F]]
|1
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''6'''
|colspan=6|
|-
|}
</center>

[[File:McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63CF, Air-India Cargo (Icelandair) AN0692203.jpg|thumb|Air India Cargo [[Douglas DC-8|Douglas DC-8-63CF]]]]
===Previous aircraft operated===

* [[Airbus A310|Airbus A310-300F]]
* [[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-200F]]
* [[Douglas DC-3|Douglas DC-3F]]
* [[Douglas DC-8|Douglas DC-8-73F]]

==See also==

* [[Air India]]
* [[List of airlines of India]]
* [[List of airports in India]]
* [[Transport in India]]
* [[Star Alliance]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.airindia.in/cargo-operation.htm Official Website]

{{Air India}}
{{Airlines of India}}

[[Category:Air India]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1932]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:Cargo airlines of India]]
[[Category:Companies based in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of India]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1932]]
[[Category:Indian companies disestablished in 2012]]

Air India Cargo - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 17:37, 13 August 2023