Mumbai - Air India has placed orders for wide-body aircraft of 34 A350-1000, six A350-900, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and 10 Boeing 777X wide-body aircraft, thus bolstering India’s cargo ecosystem, the airline announced.

 “At Air India, we see a huge potential in the air cargo industry, which the Indian Government plans to grow to 10 million tonnes by 2030. Our cargo division is implementing a series of strategic measures aimed at fostering growth and strengthening our market presence,” Air India CEO and MD, Campbell Wilson, said.

 With this, Air India’s annual cargo capacity will increase by an impressive 300 per cent to 2 million tonnes over the next five years. It promises to provide the country with non-stop connection to key export markets globally.

“The belly capacity of the Air India fleet will grow significantly over the next few years, with the addition of new wide-body aircraft to its fleet this year and with most aircraft on firm order set to arrive from 2025, complementing India’s manufacturing and export growth,” the airline said in a release.

 Not only will it support the economy but also help in generating greater employment prospects and boosting various business sectors, it added.
The airline further revealed that it also plans to deploy the latest IT solutions to strengthen the use of technology, including blockchain, AI, and drones to optimize productivity. It believes that these advancements will help it to deliver a wide range of services with global capabilities including pharma logistics, door-to-door logistics with global partners, and e-commerce.

 In its growth plans, Air India revealed to set up three 24x7 control centres to integrate and improve customer interface, customer service and operations efficiency.
 The Tata-owned airline is also investing in capital expenditure for developing airport and logistics infrastructure with joint venture partner SATS.

 At present, Air India transports cargo to over 40 international as well as 38 domestic destinations. However, to foster more exports, it aims to expand its reach further through strategic partnerships, interline partnerships and trucking network connections.