Indigo to take Spicejet's path
Indigo - India’s largest carrier in terms of fleet size (280+ aircraft) and flights operated (1,200 daily) - has signed a LoI with a lessor for 2+2 A321ceo to be converted into a full freighter configuration.
The initiative tries to make best use of the airline's natural synergies, using the same pool of pilots and engineers that service its current fleet.
The A321P2F conversion performed by Elbe Flugzeugwerke, a JV of ST Engineering and Airbus, is claimed to be the most efficient narrow-bodied freighter available, offering 24 container positions and supporting a payload of up to 27.
Starting in the first half of 2022, Indigo wants to use the freighters for domestic and regional missions, with further aircraft maybe to be sourced depending on market development, which incited the national competitor Spicejet to introduce full freighters some time ago already. (ah)