Malaysian based low-cost carrier AirAsia is set to operate its first dedicated cargo aircraft through its logistics arm Teleport. The airline has announced that a fleet of a dedicated Boeing 737-800F and two converted AirAsia Airbus A320 passenger-to-freighter aircraft will launch operations from Teleport’s hub in Bangkok in Q3 2021.

The fleet route network will operate to and from Teleport’s long-haul markets, mainly between China, India, and Southeast Asia.

“We are excited to share this expansion as we strengthen our logistics footprint across Asia,” said Adrian Loretz, Chief Operating Officer of Teleport. “It was evident at the end of last year that the demand for cargo capacity was not going to be served with passenger belly capacity alone in the long run. So, we evaluated the option to utilise dedicated freighters to transport cargo. This is also part of our strategy to build the capacity and connectivity to offer 24 hours door-to-door delivery across all of Southeast Asia.”

The two converted A320s will be based in Malaysia and Thailand. From their hubs in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, the fleet will fly scheduled flights to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Yangon.

“The type of planes we are using are great to handle the current surge in demand for E-Commerce and other cargo, and we want to build our network with this dedicated cargo capacity,” added Loretz. “We are here for the long run and are ready to do more with freighters and converted planes.”