Air India to expand implementation of India's new cargo transshipment policy

Air India received (21-Aug-2026) approval from India's Government to expand implementation of its new cargo transshipment policy, which "allows eligible cargo shipments to remain securely packed during transit, eliminating the need for piece-level re-screening and significantly reducing connection times and handling requirements", to eligible shipments originating from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai and connecting via Delhi to Copenhagen, Frankfurt and London Heathrow. Air India implemented the policy on a trial basis on the Chennai-Delhi-Frankfurt air cargo corridor on 20-Jun-2026, and recorded a more than 100% increase in average cargo volumes per day and a reduction in the average cargo connection time at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport from 36-48 hours to five to eight hours. Air India head of cargo Ramesh Mamidala stated: "This reformed cargo transshipment policy has the potential to be a game-changer for India's air cargo sector", adding: "By enabling seamless cargo transfers through Delhi, it can help attract transit traffic that currently moves through foreign gateways, unlock additional cargo volumes for Air India, and significantly improve aircraft belly utilisation across our expanding network". [more - original PR]