Cargo helps pandemic-hit Indian airlines beat the blues

The two waves of Covid-19 pandemic have severely dented the air passenger segment with the demand hitting a rock bottom in both domestic and international markets. However, amid these challenging times, the cargo segment came to the rescue of domestic airlines.

A massive shift towards online buying, triggered by repeated lockdowns and restrictions on people’s movement since the first wave last year, and movement of Covid-19 vaccines, medicines and other related-essentials, led to an increased transportation of cargo with air cargo cornering a major share in it.

For instance, budget carrier SpiceJet – the only passenger airline in the country with a dedicated freighter fleet – saw its cargo revenue growing by 36% in the third quarter (October-December) of the last financial year.