Amazon’s dedicated cargo service Amazon Prime Air has been launched in India. The e-commerce giant has a huge presence in the country and plans to deliver its goods faster with two branded Boeing 737-800 freighters. By the end of this year, Amazon plans to increase the number of its dedicated freighters in India to six.
Dedicated services in four metros
Amazon has deployed its dedicated cargo capacity in India by launching Amazon Prime Air in the South Indian city of Hyderabad. The company is working in partnership with Bengaluru-based QuickJet, using its fleet of two Boeing 737-800(BCF) aircraft.
Amazon will still use the cargo space of other passenger airlines in India but will use these two freighters in four metro cities – Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), Hyderabad (HYD), and Bengaluru (BLR), according to its vice president – customer fulfillment, Akhil Saxena. He commented,
“If earlier, I could take goods for air shipments, say by 7 pm, now I can extend it to 10 pm with a dedicated aircraft which will help in delivering goods from other FCs to you faster.”
Third market after the US and Europe
India is the third market after the US and Europe to have Amazon’s dedicated cargo service. The company has a huge presence in the country, with its largest campus in the world situated in Hyderabad, as well as its largest fulfillment center in Asia. Telangana IT and Industries minister KT Rama Rao commented on the launch,
“Amazon’s largest fulfilment footprint in Asia is also in Hyderabad. And today with the launch of Amazon Air, the first time that Amazon Air is being launched outside of North America and Europe, I am delighted that India and particularly Hyderabad get to host it. So I think this love story is growing from strength to strength.”
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Amazon Prime Air has around 30 Boeing 737s and more than 50 Boeing 767s, along with a bunch of ATR planes for its cargo services. Looking at the scope of the freight market in India, Prime Air is likely to expand its fleet here by the end of this year.
Cargo in India
The cargo sector in India seems to be thriving after the pandemic, with several other players also entering the market. Not too long ago, India only had one major dedicated air cargo player – Chennai-based Blue Dart, which has a fleet of converted Boeing 757s.
SpiceJet has its own cargo arm called SpiceXpress, which, unlike the parent airline, is a profitable enterprise. IndiGo has also inducted two Airbus A321P2F (Passenger To Freighter) aircraft and plans to include a total of four.
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Last year, India also saw its newest dedicated all-cargo carrier Pradhaan Air Express, which operated its first commercial flight in October using the world’s first converted Airbus A320 freighter.
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