First Flight in expansion mode due to retail boom

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) First Flight, a leading integrated air express carrier, achieved a turnover of Rs 290 crore for the year ending March 2007, up from Rs 240 crore last year.

The company announced expansion of its aviation operations further by inducting bigger jets in the trunk route. Last year, First Flight had started aviation operations with the induction of three ATP aircraft.

It also achieved 85 million shipments last year. The company has seen a substantial increase in its non-document business since the start of its aviation operations. It now plans to strengthen the aviation operations and to enable countrywide reach within 24 hours.

''We propose to induct larger aircraft to service the trunk routes and will redeploy the existing ATPs to the feeder routes,'' said Mr R K Saboo, deputy managing director of First Flight Couriers. ''We're seriously evaluating Boeing 737s.'' The company is in the process of setting up an integrated logistics division to offer an entire gamut of warehousing, inventory management, supply chain and distribution services.

''The retail boom being experienced in most parts of the country necessitates the setting up of an efficient and quick distribution network. With over 750 offices servicing the remotest corner of the country, we are confident of being able to leverage our geographical penetration to the advantage of our customers,'' said Mr Saboo.

First Flight has a network of 751 offices across the country, covering 1,800 destinations across more than 5,000 pin codes.

UNI