First airport-to-door pharmaceutical shipment completed by Air India

Air India has completed its first-ever international airport-to-door cargo delivery of a tightly monitored, temperature-sensitive shipment of life-saving pharmaceuticals from Delhi to Brussels. The landmark shipment marks a significant expansion in the national carrier’s cargo capabilities.

The cargo — six tonnes of essential drugs manufactured by Sun Pharma — was packed into four lower-deck pallets and required consistent temperature control between 15°C and 25°C to remain effective. What made the delivery exceptional was not just the nature of the cargo, but the innovative route and end-to-end cold-chain handling adopted by Air India in collaboration with local partners, Air India said in a statement.

Airport-to-door cargo delivery refers to a service where goods are transported from an airport cargo facility to a recipient’s doorstep or a designated location. It combines air freight with ground transportation. It involves picking up cargo from an airport, transporting it via truck or other land-based methods, and delivering it to the final destination.

The journey began at Delhi airport’s bustling cargo terminal. Once loaded, the shipment was flown to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport on an Air India aircraft. Upon landing, the pharmaceuticals were swiftly transferred to a specialised Road Feeder Service (RFS) truck equipped with refrigeration units, ensuring that the medicines maintained their required temperature through the final leg of the journey to a warehouse in Brussels.

Transporting pharmaceuticals requires specialised logistics and high levels of precision. Air India recently received the Good Distribution Practices (GDP) certification for its cargo business, a testament to the airline’s compliance with international guidelines for safe and secure distribution of pharmaceuticals.

Air India operates over 5,000 weekly flights, covering 45 cities within India and 43 destinations across 31 countries and five continents, providing the widest point-to-point coverage from India to international destinations across ultra-long, long, medium, and short-haul routes. In 2024-25, Air India moved over 4,000 tonnes of pharma goods globally.