Air India completes first airport to door pharma cargo delivery
Air India has completed its first-ever international airport-to-door cargo delivery of life-saving drugs, transporting six tonnes of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals from Delhi to Brussels in just 36 hours.
The historic delivery involved a tightly coordinated cold-chain shipment of essential medicines manufactured by Sun Pharma. The cargo, distributed across four lower-deck pallets, required a constant temperature range of 15°C to 25°C to maintain efficacy throughout its journey. What sets this operation apart is the seamless integration of air and ground transportation. After departing from Delhi’s airport cargo terminal, the shipment was flown to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. There, it was swiftly transferred onto a specialised Road Feeder Service (RFS) truck equipped with active refrigeration, completing the final stretch to a warehouse in Brussels. “This marks a new phase in Air India’s cargo strategy, as we transition from traditional airport-to-airport freight to precise, end-to-end airport-to-door services,” said Ramesh Mamidala, Head of Cargo at Air India.
The delivery is supported by Air India’s recent achievement of Good Distribution Practices (GDP) certification, which confirms the carrier’s compliance with international protocols for the safe handling of pharmaceutical products. It makes Air India the only Indian airline currently certified to handle such sensitive cargo with trained personnel. “Delivering pharmaceuticals is not just about speed; it’s about precision and integrity of the product. With GDP certification, we’re proud to lead the industry in both,” Mamidala added. Air India’s cargo operations span over 5,000 weekly flights to 45 domestic and 43 international destinations, covering five continents. In the 2024–25 financial year, the airline transported more than 4,000 tonnes of pharmaceutical goods globally. The successful delivery from Delhi to Brussels signals a shift in India’s global logistics capabilities, particularly in the high-stakes field of pharmaceutical exports.
With more such airport-to-door operations planned, Air India aims to play a critical role in transforming India into a hub for efficient, compliant medical logistics on the global stage.
