Spicejet ensures supply chains remain intact with cargo flights in war against COVID-19

New Delhi: Domestic carrier SpiceJet has operated around 500 cargo flights since the lockdown began due to coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, carrying more than 3700 tons of cargo. This is more than double of all domestic airlines in India combined together, said a company statement.

India’s biggest air cargo operator, SpiceJet has ensured that the supply chains remain intact since the government announced a nationwide lockdown from March 25, 2020, to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

SpiceJet has transported essential items, cold chain medical supplies, medicines, medical equipment, relief material, IR Thermometers required to detect COVID-19, Coronavirus Rapid Test Kits, face masks, sanitizers and essential surgical supplies etc, said the statement.

The airline, which became also the first Indian carrier to operate a cargo-on-seat flight on April 7, 2020, has now deployed both its B737 and Q400 passenger aircraft to ferry carry cargo in the passenger cabin.

"From operating a special charter flight from Delhi to Coimbatore to carry a Hazmat suit, to operating a special flight from Delhi to Jodhpur for quarantine passengers coming from Iran, to operating India’s first cargo-on-seat flight carrying vital supplies, SpiceJet has been at the very forefront of this war against coronavirus," said the domestic carrier.

SpiceJet has operated special cargo flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Colombo, Dubai, Kabul, Myanmar and a host of other places carrying vital supplies, the company added.