India's Flyington Freighters is looking to acquire at least three Airbus A300-600Fs, while another Indian cargo start-up, First Flight Couriers, is planning to lease three Boeing 737-300/400Fs.
Flyington managing director Deepak Parasuraman says the carrier aims to buy or lease three A300-600Fs for delivery in 2007 and have at least five before its four Boeing 777Fs, which were ordered in July, are delivered in the second half of 2009. Flyington hopes to begin operations in March, becoming India's third cargo carrier after First Flight and Blue Dart Aviation, and the country's first widebody freighter operator.
First Flight launched its airline division in September with two BAe ATPs operated by Taneja Aerospace and plans to put a third ATP into service next month. Deputy general manager Rajkumar Saboo says the carrier is looking to lease three Boeing 737-300/400Fs for delivery in 2007.
"Today the ATP is adequate, but in a year's time the ATP won't meet our growth requirement," says Saboo.
Blue Dart, which launched its airline division in 1996, currently operates five 737-200Fs and two Boeing 757-200Fs. The 757-200s were brought into service earlier this year and are being leased from European Air Transport (EAT).
Managing director Niteen Gupte says Blue Dart plans to add a third 757 next April, followed by a fourth in April 2008 and a fifth in April 2009. He is now talking to EAT as well as other affiliates of DHL - which last year acquired Blue Dart Express, but left Blue Dart Aviation Indian-owned - and other 757 sources. "If the market keeps growing, we'll have an all-757 fleet by 2010," says Gupte.
Parasuraman says Flyington will initially use its A300-600Fs on routes to China and the Middle East. It plans to serve Europe later with A300-600Fs via the Middle East or non-stop with Boeing 747-400Fs, which Parasurman hopes to acquire on short-term leases until the 777Fs are delivered.
He says Flyington, which aims to become Asia's largest cargo carrier, would also be interested in acquiring the proposed A330-200F.
Source: Flight International
