India’s first cargo-on-seats international flight moves perishables to Abu Dhabi

The Indian airline, IndiGo today operated country’s first-ever international flight with cargo on seats from Kochi to Abu Dhabi. Willy Boulter, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo notes that the aircraft transported fresh vegetables and other supermarket supplies for Indian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates in his LinkedIn post.

IndiGo’soperated its inaugural cargo-on-seats flightdomestically on April 16 from Delhi to Kochi carrying medical supplies for the Indian government. Besides this, SpiceJet is the only Indian airline that has transported cargo in the passenger cabin.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on April 1, 2020, allowed Indian airlines to use their passenger flights and even their main cabin to move freight. Butit also came with some stringent guidelines about what to carry on seats. The guidelines ask not to carry dangerous goods or marine products on the seats, while perishables including vegetables and fruits are allowed.