PIB News Update:411 flights have been operated under Lifeline Udan by Air India, Alliance Air, IAF and private carriers. 237 of these flights have been operated by Air India and Alliance Air. Cargo transported by Lifeline Udan flights till date is around 776.73 tons covering over 4,04,224 km. Cargo load carried on 28th April 2020 was 28.05 Tons. ‘Lifeline Udan’ flights are being operated by MoCA in domestic Sector to transport essential medical cargo to remote parts of the country to support India’s war against COVID-19.
Helicopter services including Pawan Hans Ltd have been operating in J&K, Ladakh, Islands and North East region transporting critical medical cargo and patients. Pawan Hans till 28th April 2020 have carried 2.0 tons of cargo covering a distance of 7,257 kms. Special focus has been on the North East Region, island territories and the hill states. Air India and IAF collaborated primarily for J&K, Ladakh, North-East and other island regions.
Domestic Cargo Operators SpiceJet, Blue Dart, Indigo and Vistara are operating cargo flights on a commercial basis. Spicejet operated 651 cargo flights during 24 March to 28 April 2020 covering a distance of 11,34,204 km and carrying 4,741 tons of cargo. Out of these, 233 were international cargo flights. Blue Dart operated 224 cargo flights covering a distance of 2,44,643 km and carrying 3,742 tons of cargo during 25 March to 28 April 2020. Out of these, 10 were international cargo flights. Indigo has operated 59 cargo flights during 3-28 April 2020 covering a distance of 96,742 km and carrying around 246 tons of cargo and including 18 international flights. This also includes medical supplies carried free of cost for the government. Vistara has operated 14 cargo flights during 19-28 April 2020 covering a distance of 20,466 km and carrying around 113 tons of cargo.
In International Sector, a cargo air-bridge was established with East Asia for transportation of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and Covid-19 relief material. The quantity of medical cargo brought in by Air India is 668 tons.
In addition to the above, Blue Dart has uplifted around 109 tons of medical supplies from Guangzhou starting 14th April upto 28th April 2020. Blue Dart has also uplifted 5 tons of medical cargo from Shanghai on 25th April 2020. Spicejet has also uplifted 140 tons of medical supplies from Shanghai upto 28th April 2020 and 13 tons medical supplies from Hong Kong and Singapore upto 25th April 2020.