In what comes as a proud moment for the Aviation fraternity, Indigo achieved a massive feat by carrying the highest ever tonnage on an Airbus A320 aircraft with Cargo on passenger Seats.
The Indigo Flight from Chennai to Dubai uplifted 19080 kg, which is notably the highest ever for any airlines.
The ground handling operations lasted for around four hours and were planned and executed with precision.
The Aviation Sector has been tirelessly striving to facilitate seamless cargo movement in the outbreak of the ongoing pandemic.
With a never-before seen crisis at hand, airlines are resorting to carrying cargo on flight in lieu of passenger seats, in a bid to occupy more cargo.
On May 4, IATA had issued an updated guidance on the transport of cargo on aircraft configured for the carriage of passengers.
IATA notified that following the disruption caused by Covid-19, it had been approached by various airlines seeking guidance on the use of aircraft configured for the carriage of passengers to safely transport cargo and/or mail, including loading cargo in the passenger cabin.
It said that some operators are evaluating the reconfiguration of passenger aircraft by loading cargo on the passenger seats or by removal of the passenger seats to increase the volume available for the carriage of cargo.
“Any reconfiguration of an aircraft in this manner requires full evaluation of cargo restraints connected directly to the seat tracks to ensure structural loads are within design limits and the appropriate restraint system is applied,” it said.
The Aviation Sector in India is flying through tough challenges that lie ahead, with respect to the ongoing pandemic.
According to global analytics company CRISIL, the Indian Aviation industry is predicted to crash land this fiscal, with a revenue loss of around INR 24,000 Crore to 25,000 crore. It also said that the losses will go up if the restrictions continue to last.
Civil Aviation Minister Harpreet Singh Puri had informed a news agency that the ministry will restart domestic air travel only after evaluating all factors. The minister had however assured that he ministry will try its level best to address concerns of all stakeholders.
Movement of essential cargo, especially medical and pharmaceutical shipments, are treated on a priority basis at Indian airports and are moving freely despite air cargo congestion on the import side.
