Tata Sons Revolutionizes Cargo Operations with Unified Approach

One Entity, One Vision: Tata Sons' Cargo Consolidation Plan

Tata Sons plans to centralize cargo operations across all four airlines under one roof, according to an unidentified Air India official who spoke with The Economic Times newspaper. All of Tata's airlines are Air India, AIX Connect, Vistara, and Air India Express. However, after combining the two full-service and low-cost airlines into one full-service, low-cost airline, it will only leave two.

"We have been consolidating and streamlining the entire network from all four airlines to bring it to one function," the source explained. "Internally, efforts are being streamlined at multiple levels. We are developing a mother software, which will focus on collating all cargo requests, revenue management, and commercial aspects. Externally, we are streamlining and expanding our global distribution network. We are also onboarding new customers."

In the future, a distinct cargo subsidiary might be established "to unlock the full potential" of Air India, according to the informant. The flag carrier declared in July that it has chosen software-as-a-service provider IBS Software to modernize its digital cargo operations.

“Air India is on a transformation journey to not only reaffirm its position as a global leader in aviation but also establish foundations for future growth," the airline's chief commercial and transformation officer, Nipun Aggarwal, said. "Air cargo is one of the key drivers of our roadmap for future growth."

"This effort is aimed at developing and giving our customers an advantage of network-wide distribution capability globally," an Air India spokesperson said this week. Our global network also includes our trucking and interline partners. Collectively, the network gives us a reach of about 500 plus stations globally, and this is ever-expanding. Our domestic and regional international routes are unique and provide us with excellent distribution capability."

CEO Campbell Wilson stated a year and a half ago that Air India aimed to treble its yearly cargo capacity by 2028. He was more concerned at the time with making passenger planes capable of carrying more cargo than with bringing in dedicated freighters. A representative for Air India said that no plans to purchase freighters were currently in place and that this remained the airline's preferred option.