IndiGo operated an international cargo flight to Guangzhou on May 16 and brought back essential medical supplies to battle COVID-19 pandemic.

It operated the flight 6E 1377 from Kolkata to Guangzhou on May 16 and the flight carried cargo consisting of medical supplies like face masks and GCRs, from Guangzhou to Kolkata in the A320 passenger aircraft on freighter mode.

"Having previously operated these CarGo flights to the Gulf region, South and Southeast Asia, we have now operated these flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou. IndiGo will continue to extend its support in this time of need, be it through CarGo flights or repatriation flights, as directed by the government," Chief Executive Officer Ronojoy Dutta said.

IndiGo has so far not operated any repatriation flight but has operated cargo flights on freighter mode. It has also operated transit flight for stranded Kenyan citizens in India.

It carried over 20,212 kg of cargo, its highest so far, in its passenger aircraft on freighter mode on its Kochi-Abu Dhabi flight 6E 9014 on May 12.

Airlines in India continue to await the resumption of domestic passenger flights. Currently, over 650 aircraft are grounded in the country amid a countrywide lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.