CARGOCONNECT-OCTOBER2024 - Flipbook - Page 59
Globally, we have observed similar trends in
other markets, which is why we are keen to
explore opportunities in India’s expanding
air freight sector.
new partners specialising in freight who
are interested in deploying ATR aircraft
with a 9-tonne payload capacity in the
Indian market.
So far, how have you adapted your services
in response to the evolving demands of
the Indian market, particularly in terms
of product portfolios and o昀昀erings?
To illustrate, let’s consider the passenger
transportation market. India has been a
key factor in our decision to increase cabin
density, meaning more seats per aircraft. For
example, the ATR 72 now accommodates up
to 78 seats, whereas in many other markets,
the standard is 72 seats. This adjustment
is driven by passenger needs and airlines’
goals to provide affordable services. By
increasing cabin density while maintaining
comfort, we can achieve better economic
e昀케ciency per seat.
This is a clear example from the passenger transport sector. For other markets,
we are evaluating how to adapt our o昀昀erings.
We have freighter aircraft based on the
ATR 72, which can be either newly built
or converted. We believe that the Indian
market may also have potential for converted
freighters, in addition to passenger aircraft.
Additionally, we have adapted our aircraft to meet evolving market needs. For
instance, seven years ago, we introduced
a large cargo door in the ATR -600 series,
allowing for the transportation of pallets,
unit load devices, or bulk cargo. These
adaptations reflect our commitment to
addressing market demands.
Do you see strategic collaborations
between industry players – airports, carriers, governing bodies, and associations
propelling the expansion and e昀케ciency of
your services, growth plans and motives?
Do you think there’s more to be done on
this side concerning freight?
India is an exceptional market with strong
ambitions and visionary leaders who are
driving the development of the ecosystem.
We are proud to have been part of this
journey for 25 years and are committed to
supporting the government’s goals. While
we are well-established in the passenger
transport sector, as demonstrated through
our ongoing collaboration with government
and industry stakeholders, there is still
potential for further growth.
Meanwhile, in the freight market, there
is signi昀椀cant opportunity for development.
We need to focus on building partnerships
and gaining a deeper understanding of the
unique characteristics of the Indian market
to enhance our presence and impact in
this sector.
So how do you expect to capitalise
on the future demand and expansion
opportunities that come out?
Given our strong presence in the regional
passenger transportation market in India,
with nearly 70 aircraft in operation, it is
natural to consider expanding into the
freighter segment. The next logical step
is to leverage our existing expertise in
operating and maintaining ATR aircraft
to develop our freighter activity in India.
Initially, our focus has been on establishing a footprint in the passenger market.
The subsequent step involves exploring
opportunities with current airlines or
As India emerges as a hub economy in the
Asian century, what role do you envision
for your enterprise in facilitating and
supporting the country’s aviation and
allied sector’s growth?
India represents one of our key
markets and is among the fastestgrowing regions for regional air
mobility. With 25 years of presence
in India, we are committed to being
a part of the aviation industry’s
growth for the next 25 years at
least. Currently, we operate 67
aircraft in India, and we see potential for an additional 200 aircraft in
the regional air mobility sector.
We have freighter aircraft based
on the ATR 72, which can be either
newly built or converted. We
believe that the Indian market may
also have potential for converted
freighters, in addition to passenger
aircraft. Additionally, we have
adapted our aircraft to meet evolving market needs. For instance,
seven years ago, we introduced a
large cargo door in the ATR -600
series, allowing for the transportation of pallets, unit load devices, or
bulk cargo.
Understanding the market and aligning our
product o昀昀erings accordingly is crucial. Your
question about adapting to market needs,
developing the right partnerships, and
evolving our product is very relevant. These
are key areas we are actively addressing.
The continuous e昀昀orts we are making
to establish our brand and build a robust
support infrastructure for our airline customers are important steps. These initiatives
contribute signi昀椀cantly to expanding our
ecosystem, enhancing our footprint, and
positioning us to serve new markets, including the freight sector.
On the global product services scenario,
would you like to reveal anything
benchmarking that you’re doing and
really interesting to learn about?
On a global scale, we are engaged in several
exciting initiatives. We are continuing
to pursue incremental innovations on
our platform and are currently exploring
the feasibility of hybrid propulsion. Our
project, known as EVO, aims to combine
a thermal combustion engine with a fully
electric engine. We are in the feasibility
study phase and are collaborating with
our propulsion suppliers to assess the
timeline for delivering this aircraft, with
a target of 2030 or later, depending on
technology maturity.
This development is particularly exciting
as our current turboprop aircraft already
o昀昀er signi昀椀cant fuel and CO2 emissions
savings compared to similar-sized jets. By
integrating hybrid technologies, we plan to
leverage our proven platform while adopting new advancements. We are con昀椀dent
that these efforts will align with future
market requirements and position us well
for upcoming industry needs.
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