SpiceJet has operated its maiden freighter flight carrying 17 tonne of critical medical and essential supplies from Kolkata to Cebu, a province in the Philippines.

With this flight, SpiceJet has added the Philippines to its international cargo network. The airline deployed a Boeing 737 freighter aircraft, which departed for Cebu from Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International airport early this morning, the carrier said in a statement.

“SpiceJet is aggressively expanding its international cargo network transporting essential and medical supplies in this global war against COVID-19. The Philippines is the latest addition to our cargo network in Southeast Asia,” Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said.

“Today, we are operating 64 cargo flights and these include flights to multiple international destinations. SpiceJet remains firmly committed towards ensuring that vital trade routes between India and other countries remain intact,” he added.

Till date, SpiceJet has transported close to 6,750 tonne of cargo on more than 950 flights since the nation-wide lockdown began. Of the 950 flights operated, 350 were international cargo flights.

Special cargo flights

SpiceJet has operated special cargo flights to and from Baghdad, Cambodia, Guangzhou, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Colombo, Dubai, Kabul, Myanmar, Sharjah, Male, Kuala Lumpur, Ukraine and a host of other places.

SpiceJet operated the country’s first cargo-on-seat flight on April 7 carrying vital supplies in passenger cabin and belly space. Since then, the airline has been regularly deploying its B737 and Q400 passenger aircraft to carry cargo in the passenger cabin.

SpiceXpress, SpiceJet’s cargo arm, has been transporting surgical supplies, sanitisers, face masks, coronavirus rapid test kits and providing doorstep deliveries of essential supplies, medicines and medical equipment to various cities in India.

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