Rising freight demand and the boom in India’s e-commerce sector have led Tata Group-owned Air India to expand its cargo network, industry insiders said.
The airline’s cargo business has “grown by over 60 per cent between FY23 and FY25”, an Air India spokesperson said in response.
The airline caters to “over four lakh tonnes of cargo volumes annually through its fleet of 242 narrow-body and 63 wide-body aircraft.”
Growing market
Besides, as part of its strategy to capture a larger share of this growing market, the company has integrated the cargo operations of Air India and Air India Express.
“Growth has been consistently witnessed in part due to the integration of Air India and Air India Express’ cargo operations at the group level,” industry insiders said.
Speaking to media, a senior industry executive said that Air India has been able to “exponentially expand” its customer base by working closely with global freight forwarders and several multinational corporations.
Furthermore, the airline executive emphasised that these partnerships span not only select hubs but also most of its network.
“By deepening presence across regional markets, Air India can better support growing demand, deliver faster and more reliable logistics, and meaningfully contribute to India’s supply chain ecosystem, serving both MSMEs and large businesses,” the spokesperson said.
Cargo portfolio
In addition, Air India has diversified its cargo portfolio and upgraded its capabilities to handle specialised consignments.
The airline now offers services to efficiently handle products such as “pharmaceuticals, valuables, vulnerable cargo and live animals to meet a broad spectrum of customer requirements”.
In addition, the carrier has widened its international cargo footprint.
Presently, Air India’s cargo operations cover over 50 international destinations directly, with further reach extended through an extensive network of trucking and interline partnerships .
Robust network
Further extending this reach is the airline’s “robust network of trucking and interline partnerships. Through its trucking alliances, Air India serves more than 350 domestic and international routes, ensuring seamless connectivity beyond gateway airports.”
The airline’s interline agreements with over 15 international carriers also provide access to over 300 global routes.
“This network enables Air India to effectively tap underserved markets such as South America, New Zealand and Africa, which often lack direct capacity,” the executive said.
Air India added that it continues to evaluate fresh opportunities for growth while seeking to enhance cargo capacity, broaden network reach and tap into emerging global trade corridors.
