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India Allows Gulf Airlines to Use Passenger Planes for Cargo Amid Crisis

The Indian government has granted special permission to foreign carriers like Emirates and Kuwait Airways to operate passenger aircraft for all-cargo services. This move aims to ensure the seamless movement of critical cargo despite major disruptions from the West Asia conflict, which has led to widespread airspace closures. Indian airlines are facing longer flight routes to Europe and North America, increasing travel times. The government is implementing measures like fuel price intervention and relaxed pilot duty limits to support the sector's stability.

Key Points: India Permits Gulf Airlines Cargo in Passenger Planes

  • Special permission for Gulf carriers
  • Maintains critical supply chains
  • Response to West Asia airspace closures
  • Longer flight routes for Indian airlines
  • DGCA relaxes pilot duty limits
2 min read

Govt allows Gulf airlines to carry cargo in passenger planes to keep supply chains going

India grants special permission to Gulf carriers like Emirates to use passenger aircraft for cargo to maintain supply chains during West Asia conflict.

"ensuring seamless continuity of critical cargo movement - Ministry of Civil Aviation"

New Delhi, April 7

The government has granted special permission to foreign carriers such as Emirates, Kuwait Airways, and Jazeera Airways to operate passenger aircraft for all-cargo services to ensure seamless continuity of critical cargo movement despite the ongoing disruptions due to the Iran war, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday.

The Indian aviation sector is currently navigating a serious operational and financial situation triggered by the conflict in West Asia. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has implemented a multi-layered response to ensure passenger safety and convenience while working on keeping the industry stable, the statement said.

The ministry highlighted measures being taken to ensure continuity of services, facilitate passenger travel, and maintain coordination with airlines and relevant authorities.

It said it is closely and continuously monitoring the evolving situation arising out of the ongoing conflict in the Western Asia region. Several countries, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE, have imposed airspace closures or severe restrictions, leading to unprecedented disruption in global aviation networks and international connectivity.

Despite these challenging and constrained conditions, Indian carriers have demonstrated exceptional resilience and operational agility in maintaining services from this region, which underscores the robustness and responsiveness of the aviation sector.

However, due to the airspace restrictions, flights to Europe and North America by Indian carriers have to take longer routes, which has increased travel time.

Due to timely intervention by the government on the pricing of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), which constitutes around 40 per cent of operational costs of airlines, domestic airfares have remained stable, the statement said.

Moreover, the ministry, in coordination with other stakeholders, is actively engaged in working on other significant measures to support the industry.

Operational relaxations have also been extended. Especially to manage the strain of longer routes, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has temporarily relaxed pilot flight duty time limitations to prevent acute crew shortages.

While the situation remains dynamic, the government remains firmly committed to ensuring passenger safety and convenience, uninterrupted cargo movement, and overall sectoral stability, the statement added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Good to see proactive steps. But I'm concerned about the pilot duty time relaxations. Safety should never be compromised, even in a crisis. Longer routes are already taxing; tired pilots are a huge risk. DGCA needs very strict oversight on this.
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Priyanka N
This is crucial for our exports too! 🇮🇳 Many small businesses rely on timely shipments to the Gulf and Europe. If cargo gets stuck, it's a direct hit to their livelihoods. Hope Indian carriers also get similar flexibility to maximize their cargo operations.
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Rahul R
The statement says domestic airfares are stable due to ATF price control. That's a relief for now. Last thing we need is sky-high ticket prices for essential travel within India because of a conflict elsewhere. Hope this continues.
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Aman W
Shows how interconnected the world is. A conflict in West Asia disrupts flights from India to the US and Europe. Kudos to our aviation authorities for managing the situation. But long term, we need to diversify our trade and travel routes better.
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Kavya N
My brother is a pilot. He says the longer detours are exhausting for the crew, even with relaxed limits. The government's support is needed, but the well-being of our airline staff is paramount. Hope they are getting proper rest and compensation.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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