The Covid pandemic has boosted the conversion of passenger aircrafts to freighters (PTF) due to the huge demand for cargo carriage even as passenger aircrafts saw a significant drop due to travel restrictions, thus making ‘belly’ space unavailable for cargo.

Global aviation research firm IBA forecasts conversion of nearly 1,000 passenger aircraft to freighters globally in the next ten years. If this trend catches up in India, Air India — with the Tatas now — is the only player which can convert its aged aircrafts into freighters. If that happens, the long standing demand for a ‘Desi’ cargo service for international operations to counter the monopoly of foreign carriers will become a reality.

Freighter use rises

Since the outset of Covid-19, freighter usage has grown dramatically, driven by the fall in belly hold capacity as passenger aircrafts were grounded. A number of passenger aircraft were also converted to freighters.

Also see: Introducing tech for cargo operations

The number of active freighters across the globe in September grew to 1,32,000 in September 2021 against just over 95,000 in September 2019.

Drop in passenger aircrafts

In contrast, due to various Covid-related restrictions, only 80,000 passenger aircraft were flying in September 2021 against 3.2 million in September 2019.

The number of passenger aircraft flights increased to 2.07 million in September 2020 from 6.24 lakh in March 2020. However, the increase is still half its previous peak of 4.15 million in January 2020, IBA said.

Typical PTF conversion costs between $43,00,000 and $60,00,000 with major conversion centres in China, US, Israel, Singapore and Germany.

Demand for international transport

B Govindarajan, COO, Tirwin Management Services — a Chennai-based cargo consulting firm — said that while the belly capacity offered may meet requirements except in certain routes on the domestic front, the need for international air cargo capacity for India’s exports and imports is huge as is evident from foreign airlines pushing for additional cargo capacity in the market.

Also see: Can the Tatas fly a full circle into cargo business?

Converting passenger aircraft as freighters and deploying combi versions (both passenger and cargo) as was done by Air India in 70s and 80s will provide much-needed cargo capacity and make India self-reliant in international trade, he added.

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