FedEx Express rolls out new India-APAC flight

As part of its international growth strategy and ongoing strategic and smart investments to strengthen connectivity to and from India, FedEx Express announced that it has launched a new flight establishing direct connections between India and the FedEx Asia hub at Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou, Southern China.

FedEx said this new flight will provided India-based shippers with additional outbound capacity to Asia and also boost connectivity between major cities in India and Asia in an effort to augment the economic integration between India and Asia and spur increasing trade between India and the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. The APAC region, which is India’s largest trade area, contributes roughly 27 percent of India’s exports to the APAC primarily in China, Hong, Kong, and Singapore and 32 percent of India’s imports are from APAC with major countries served being China and Australia.

A FedEx official told LM the growing international trade within Asia has pushed the need for wider shipping solutions, adding that with this new flight the company hopes to tap this potential and growth within the region.

The new flight directly connects major cities in India and Asia and operates 5 days a week following the route Guangzhou-Mumbai-Delhi-Guangzhou, according to FedEx.

“The new flight enables us to serve the increased demand of our customers and represents a large number of service improvements for customers in terms of improved flexibility of their supply chain network,” said the FedEx official. “It reinforces our focus on the Indian market by strengthening the region’s connectivity and providing a wide range of international shipping solutions within Asia.

The new dedicated A310 flight provides shippers with:
- Next-Business-Day document service from Asia to selected postal codes in Mumbai;
- transit times improved by up to two business days for FedEx International Priority Freight shipments and high-value shipments from Asia to India;
- transit times improved by one day for FedEx International Priority Freight shipments from India to Asia;
-with five additional flights per week, Indian enterprises will have access to expansive cargo space, which will allow FedEx Express to carry heavyweight shipments within Asia; and
-the ability to ship specialty products like Dangerous Goods/ Valuables/Perishables to and from Asia.

FedEx said this new flight is aimed at Indian importers and exporters with business interests in Asia that are seeking reliable and fast express and economy shipping solutions.

“The new flight will open up larger trading opportunities for our customers with modern, rapid and secure express transportation and enhance trade and global competitiveness of two recognized economic giants –India and China,” said the spokesperson. “The flight will create additional outbound capacity from India to Asian markets, therefore benefiting Indian businesses with a direct connection from India to Asia at an improved transit time and approximately 160 tons of total additional capacity available per week.
India and China’s substantial focus on high-technology, high-value, bulk and time-sensitive shipments are heavily air-dependent thus making our new flight almost indispensable for fast and reliable services.”

With the launch of this flight, FedEx now operates 31 international flights, more than any other express carrier in India, and provides more express cargo capacity, said the spokesperson. The spokesperson added that the flight will enable unmatched air connectivity within Asia meaning Indian customers will now have access to key markets in China and the rest of Asia within 48 hours and also said that FedEx Express is the only carrier to offer next day service from Delhi into key markets in Asia.

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