The Hindu Business Line : All-cargo airline launch delayed

The Managing Director of the airline, Captain Deepak Parasuraman, told Business Line that the launch had been "pushed back slightly" to March instead of the earlier launch date of end-February.

"The launch has only been pushed back slightly mainly due to operational problems. We have all the clearances in place and will bring in the aircraft when the launch date is finalised. I guess we were being too ambitious at the start," Capt. Parasuraman said.

The airline has gone in for outright purchase of three Fokker aircraft, which are said to be undergoing checks in Europe before being imported into the country, officials had said earlier. Despite the launch getting delayed, the airport office of the airline has opened. "The airline has also got firm bookings from both charter operators and cargo consolidators eager to utilise its services," Capt. Parasuraman said.

The airline plans to operate daily cargo flights on the Chennai-Colombo-Chennai, Chennai-Male-Chennai and Chennai-Bangalore-Mumbai sectors and log about 5,400 hours of flying during the first year of operation. It proposes to operate at least eight flights a day during the period.

While Chennai is to be the initial operating hub, the airline has plans to expand and open other hubs as operations grow. And though the airline has plans of acquiring jet aircraft, there are no immediate plans of launching passenger services, the officials said.