Emirates’ wide-bodied freighter aircraft to city

Arjun RaghunathFirst Published : 26 Apr 2010 05:41:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 26 Apr 2010 08:42:51 AM IST

For the first time, a wide-bodied freighter aircraft will be operated by the Dubai-based Emirates Airlines to Thiruvananthapuram this week.


A Boeing-777 freighter aircraft, EK 4908, would be departing for Thiruvananthapuram from Dubai at 6 a.m. on Tuesday and would arrive here at 11.30 a.m. There would be 100 tonnes of cargo on board the aircraft. From Thiruvananthapuram, the aircraft would fly to Hong Kong as a ferry aircraft by 1 p.m., it is learnt.

Though the service is being operated as a non-scheduled chartered flight, industry sources feel that it is a prelude to the commencement of regular freighter services from Thiruvananthapuram in the near future. Emirates officials had earlier hinted at plans to operate cargo services between Kerala and UAE, it may be recalled.

However, when contacted by Expresso, Emirates officials said that there was no decision to commence cargo services to Thiruvananthapuram or any other airport in Kerala.

At present, no wide-bodied freighter aircraft are being operated to Thiruvananthapuram. It is learnt that unaccompanied baggage from Dubai is being brought in the freighter aircraft. Since will be returning to Hong Kong as a ferry aircraft, no cargo would be loaded from here.

On an average, around 45 tonnes of cargo, especially unaccompanied baggage, is being brought to Thiruvananthapuram from Gulf countries daily and about around 25 tonnes of cargo, mainly perishable goods, are exported from here to Gulf countries.

It may be recalled that the withdrawal of Air India’s A-310 aircraft, that could carry up to 10 tonnes of cargo, from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai a couple of years ago had led to a hue and cry from exporters as Air India Express aircraft can only carry up to two tonnes of cargo.

Air India, which is the ground handling agency, had recently installed the main-deck loader device at Thiruvananthapuram Airport for loading and unloading cargo from the upper deck of aircraft.