Blue Dart boosts capacity

CHENNAI-based Blue Dart Aviation, will replace its four Boeing 737 freighters with Boeing 757s, in a move to increase capacity.

The company has already inducted a 757 freighter, its seventh aircraft, from majority shareholder DHL Express.

DHL Express holds an 81 per cent stake in Blue Dart.

Tushar Jani, chairman, Blue Dart Aviation, said, “We cannot increase our fleet size because of lack of parking space at airports and hence will replace the Boeing 737 with Boeing 757.”

The company says it intends to have a mix of leased and owned 757-200 SF (special freighters). The change of aircraft models will boost carrying capacity by 32 per cent, from 148 tonnes to 196 tonnes by the end of 2011.