Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Oct 04, 2005
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Oct 04, 2005 |
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Logistics
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Airlines Blue Dart Aviation to add 2 more freighters Our Bureau
Mumbai , Oct. 3 BLUE Dart Aviation has received board approval to upgrade its fleet by adding two Boeing-757 freighters to the existing five Boeing-737 aircraft. The two freighters, which offer a payload capacity of over 28 tonnes of cargo, which is double the payload of the Boeing 737 freighters, are scheduled to join the fleet in the first half of 2006. According to Mr Niteen M. Gupte, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Dart Aviation, the B-757s would replace the B-737s on the Kolkata-Delhi-Mumbai-Bangalore-Chennai route. According to him, the route chalked out by Blue Dart allowed for the most efficient express distribution to the five major metros given the time constraints under which express players operated. The B-737s would be used on the Bangalore-Delhi-Bangalore as well as a new route that would bring Ahmedabad into Blue Dart's network, he said. "Induction of these two aircraft on our old route and the addition of the new route to include Ahmedabad would increase capacity to almost 250 tonnes each night from 170 tonnes currently," he said. The company's network connected the major metros in a manner that facilitated late departures and early morning arrivals, and ensured more tonnage-carrying capability compared to any other system designed with the same investment and costs, he added. The company's existing aircraft were operating at load factors of about 86 per cent. Queried on the cost of acquisition, Mr Gupte said, "The issue is under study; the attempt is to arrive at the most appropriate solution to ensure growth and profitability." Launched in June 1996, Blue Dart Aviation has its own maintenance and ground handling capability, with dedicated bonded warehouses as well as security systems at all the six metros Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad and is certified to undertake heavy maintenance up to a `D-level check'. It also offers charter services to 18 airports in India and two airports in the South Asian region.
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