Challenge Group will launch a twice-weekly Boeing 777 freighter service connecting Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMI) in India with Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) in Illinois, the United States, via Liège Airport (LGG) in Belgium, from November 4, 2026.
The new service is expected to strengthen air cargo connectivity between India, Europe and North America while expanding Challenge Group’s presence in the US market. It will also enhance Rockford’s position as an international gateway for specialised air freight, particularly pharmaceuticals, oversized shipments and out-of-gauge cargo.
The route will provide additional opportunities for outbound cargo from Rockford to move through Liège, where Challenge Group operates a network handling approximately 1,500 truck movements per month. This network offers onward road connections across Europe and facilitates shipments to India.
Or Zak, Group Chief Commercial Officer of Challenge Group, said Chicago was a strategically important market serving a broad range of industries that depend on reliable international cargo connectivity. He said the new service through Rockford would create additional opportunities for customers transporting specialised cargo between India, Europe and the United States.
The launch forms part of RFD’s ongoing efforts to attract international freighter operators and develop its specialised cargo capabilities. Zack Oakley, Executive Director of RFD, said the service reflected the airport’s continued efforts to establish itself as a leading cold chain corridor into the United States.
Expansion plans and specialised cargo handling
Challenge Group sees potential to expand the partnership beyond the initial twice-weekly operation through increased flight frequencies and the introduction of live animal (AVI) transportation.
Located approximately 40 miles from animal quarantine facilities, a distance comparable to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), RFD is seeking approval from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to handle live animal shipments.
Rene Espinet, Vice President – Cargo Business Development at RFD, said the airport was well positioned to support the service with cargo-focused infrastructure and the capacity to handle specialised freight. He added that Challenge Group would benefit from access to the wider Chicago market while taking advantage of the operational efficiency, flexibility and lower congestion of a dedicated freighter airport.
To support pharmaceutical cargo movements, RFD will arrange dedicated temperature-controlled trucking services for shipments arriving on the new route. These services will facilitate onward transportation to destinations across the Rockford area and warehousing facilities in Chicago, helping maintain temperature integrity throughout the supply chain.
The announcement was made at the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) Air Cargo Forum, held in Miami from October 26 to 29, 2026.
The new service is expected to strengthen RFD’s international freighter network, improve access to key global cargo markets and create further opportunities for the movement of temperature-sensitive and specialised shipments across the India–Europe–US trade corridor.