Combating COVID-19: SpiceXpress freighter brings medical supplies from Shanghai

A special SpiceJet flight -- SG7078 -- from Shanghai carrying critical medical supply to aid the country's fight against coronavirus landed early morning on Monday in the national capital.

SpiceJet tweeted: "Early this morning, SpiceXpress freighter SG7078 returned from Shanghai to Delhi, via Kolkata, carrying critical medical supplies to aid in the country's #fightagainstcorona."

In a release dated April 15, SpiceJet said that it was operating its first-ever B737 cargo freighter flight to China carrying COVID-19 related essential medical supplies from Shanghai to Hyderabad.

In the release, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said: "From today, SpiceJet freighters have begun ferrying crucial medical supplies from China. In addition to Shanghai, we are also operating freighters to Singapore and Sri Lanka today."

"Regular SpiceJet cargo flights are also being operated to Hong Kong, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other places while our domestic cargo operations have been significantly boosted by our passenger aircraft fleet where both our B737 and Q400 aircraft have been deployed to operate cargo-on-seat flights. We have put our resources to maximum use transporting over 2,700 tons of cargo on more than 300 flights since the nation-wide lockdown began," he had added.

SpiceJet has operated close to 430 cargo flights since the lockdown began carrying over 3,300 tons of cargo. Of the 430 cargo flights, 130 were international cargo flights.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep S Puri had tweeted on April 15: "Domestic Cargo Operators SpiceJet, Blue Dart & Indigo are operating cargo flights on a commercial basis while they also carry Lifeline Udan cargo. Spice Jet: 230 flights, 2765 tons, Blue Dart: 108 flights, 1709 tons, and IndiGo: 25 flights, 21.77 tons."

( With inputs from ANI )