Air India refuses to convert planes to carry cargo

NEW DELHI: Air India is said to have rejected the government’s demand to convert some of its passenger aircraft into cargo planes by removing seats, although some private airlines have offered their planes to carry material from one city to another during the nationwide lockdown.

The government had only asked Air India to convert its passenger planes to cargo, which the national carrier feels is unviable.

“The government had asked us to convert some of our fleet to be used for transportation but that has not been accepted from our side,” said a senior Air India official, who did not want to be identified. “It would have required removing seats from the aircraft and getting further approvals to run it as a cargo plane, which involves cost as well as time.”