Blue Dart to add 2 more aircraft to its fleet

Bangalore, Mar 22 (UNI) Blue Dart, south India's largest integrated air express, courier and logistics company, will add two more aircraft by June to augment its capabilities from the present 166 tonnes per night to 250.

Addressing newspersons after commissioning its new superhub facility in the city here, Company Managing Director Malcom Monterio said air express was a core competence area of Blue Dart and to support this business model, it had decided to add two more aircraft to its existing fleet of five Boeing 747.

He said Blue Dart was ideally placed with its well knit air and ground capabilities to serve the trade and commerce sector in the country.

Mr Monterio said the company was the leader in the domestic express market enjoying over 39 per cent of the Rs 1,100 crore business segment. It had invested over Rs 425 crore in courier and integrated air express package distribution and earned a revenue of over Rs 515 crore till March last. It would be investing another Rs 25 crore, apart from the induction cost of two more aircraft.

He informed that the four southern states contributed over 35 per cent to the company's revenue, of which Karnataka alone accounted for 17 per cent. Blue Dart had an aircraft based in the city and the new superhub facility launched today would cater to ground deliveries at over 3,300 locations in the region.

Mr Monterio said with Bangalore developing into an important hub for services and manufacturing sector, the new facility would be of great use to the customers. Blue Dart had plans to add 45 new facilities to its existing 217 facilities across the country to pad up 166 tonnes of shipment to 250 by this year-end.

''By virtue of having our own aircraft to handle shipments the Blue Dart definitely enjoys a clear edge over other operators in the business,'' he said.

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