Cargo Aircraft Ground Handling and Flight Support
Freight moves on schedule or it costs money. A cargo aircraft held on the ground in Delhi waiting for a customs officer, a load control query nobody answered, or a permit that specified the wrong flight category is a direct hit to your operating economics and to your consignee’s supply chain.
Aileron Air provides cargo aircraft ground handling and flight support at Indian airports for freighter operators, ACMI and wet-lease operators, cargo charter operators and combi flights. We coordinate the permit, supervise the ramp, liaise with load control and customs, and keep the aircraft moving.
We have been supporting operations into India as a licensed handling agent since 2012, and our flight dispatch officers work H24. Send us a cargo trip and you will have a timeline and a quote within four hours.
What Cargo Flight Support Covers
Cargo aircraft ground handling
Marshalling and parking on cargo stands, ground power unit and air start unit, chocks and cones, main-deck and lower-deck loader coordination, pallet and container movement, aircraft cleaning, and towing or repositioning where the cargo apron requires it. Freighter turnarounds place different demands on the ramp than passenger aircraft — the loading equipment is heavier, the stands are different, and the sequencing is dictated by the load plan rather than by boarding.
Landing and overflight permits for cargo flights
Cargo flights are a distinct permit category, and a permit issued for a charter or private flight cannot be used for a cargo operation. We file the correct category with the DGCA, with the cargo manifest and supporting documentation the authority expects. Standard cargo landing permits typically take 5 to 7 working days, and overflight permits 3 to 5. Urgent and AOG-related cargo movements can often be expedited — call the desk rather than emailing.
Load control and documentation liaison
Coordination with your load control team or centralised load control provider, general declaration filing, cargo manifest handling, air waybill documentation support, and the arrival and departure paperwork Indian airports require. We do not sign your loadsheet — that remains your operator responsibility — but we make sure the people who need it have what they need, when they need it.
Customs clearance coordination
Liaison with Indian Customs for the aircraft and for the consignment, transit and transhipment coordination, bonded warehouse liaison, and clearance support for AOG spare parts and time-critical shipments. Customs is the single most common cause of unplanned ground time on cargo movements into India, and it is where local knowledge earns its fee.
Dangerous goods and special cargo
Coordination for DGR consignments in accordance with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, including notification to captain, segregation requirements and ramp handling arrangements. Also perishables and cool-chain cargo, live animals, valuables and vulnerable cargo, outsize and project cargo requiring specialist loading equipment, and human remains. Tell us what is on board at the enquiry stage — special cargo changes the handling arrangement, the paperwork and sometimes the airport.
Slots, parking and cargo apron coordination
Slot applications and PPR, cargo stand allocation, extended parking where a load is delayed, and coordination with airport cargo terminal operators. Cargo parking at Delhi and Mumbai is constrained and is allocated separately from general aviation — early notice materially improves what we can secure for you.
Fuel, crew and turnaround support
Jet A-1 uplift with supervised delivery and credit facilities, crew hotels and transport timed to the duty plan, and turnaround supervision sequencing every ground service so the aircraft departs on slot.
AOG and disruption support for cargo operations
A freighter on the ground is an expensive freighter. Our AOG desk coordinates parts clearance, engineering access, extended parking, amended permits and consignment protection when a cargo movement breaks down.
Who We Support
Scheduled freighter operators running regular services into Indian airports who need a consistent handling agent and one invoice.
ACMI and wet-lease operators flying into India on behalf of another carrier, where the operational responsibility sits with you but the local knowledge does not.
Cargo charter operators running ad hoc and one-off freight movements, including urgent and “must-go” consignments.
Combi and passenger-freighter operations where the aircraft carries both and the handling requirement spans two disciplines.
Humanitarian and relief flights moving aid cargo under time pressure, where permits, customs and ramp coordination all need to happen at once.
Operators needing cargo capacity rather than support should see our air cargo charter service, where we arrange the aircraft itself.
H2: Airports We Cover
We handle cargo operations at Indian airports including Delhi (VIDP), Mumbai (VABB), Chennai (VOMM), Kolkata (VECC), Ahmedabad (VAAH), Bhubaneswar (VEBS), Guwahati (VEGT), Coimbatore (VOCB) and Mangaluru (VOML).
Cargo handling at any other Indian airport is arranged on request, and we support cargo movements across Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and the UAE through our vetted associate network. Send us the airport and we will confirm coverage within four hours.
How a Cargo Movement Runs
- Send us the trip.
Aircraft type and registration, routing, dates, load details, and whether the consignment includes dangerous goods, perishables or outsize cargo. Tell us about special cargo at this stage rather than on arrival. - Feasibility and quote within four hours.
We confirm permit lead time, cargo stand availability, loading equipment at that airport and customs implications — and tell you plainly if the schedule is unrealistic. - Permits and slots filed.
Cargo-category DGCA application with the correct supporting documentation, plus slot and parking coordination. - Pre-arrival coordination.
Written arrival plan covering stand, loading equipment, customs arrangements, fuel and crew logistics, sent to your operations centre before the aircraft departs. - On the ramp.
A named Aileron Air supervisor at the aircraft, coordinating loading, customs, fuelling and documentation, in contact with your crew and our ops desk throughout. - Departure and reporting.
Documentation completed, aircraft ready ahead of slot, followed by a written handling report and one consolidated invoice.
Why Cargo Operators Use Aileron Air
Cargo is handled as cargo. Freighter turnarounds are not passenger turnarounds with the seats removed. Loading equipment, stand allocation, customs process and documentation are all different, and we brief every cargo movement individually.
Customs is where we earn the fee. Most unplanned ground time on Indian cargo movements comes from customs and documentation, not from the ramp. That is precisely where local relationships and knowing what the paperwork should look like makes the difference.
Ground handling credit at Indian airports. Charges are settled by us and consolidated onto one invoice, so your crew is not resolving payment on the ramp and your finance team reconciles one document.
H24 ops desk. Cargo flies at night. Our flight dispatch officers are available around the clock — a coordinator with system access, not an answering service.
One point of accountability. One coordinator owns the movement from first request to departure, with a written report at the end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cargo flights need a different permit from passenger flights?
Yes. Cargo is a distinct flight category in the DGCA permit system, and a permit issued for a private, charter or passenger flight cannot be used for a cargo operation. The application requires cargo-specific supporting documentation including manifest details. Applying under the wrong category is one of the more common causes of rejection.
How long does a cargo landing permit take in India?
A standard cargo landing permit typically takes 5 to 7 working days and an overflight permit 3 to 5 working days. Pre-approved repeat operators with documents already on file are typically 48 to 72 hours. DGCA processing can extend during peak periods and national holidays, so apply with maximum lead time. Genuinely urgent movements can sometimes be expedited — call our desk rather than emailing.
Can you handle dangerous goods shipments?
Yes, we coordinate handling for DGR consignments in accordance with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, including segregation, ramp arrangements and notification requirements. Declare dangerous goods at the enquiry stage. Some classes are restricted at particular Indian airports, and knowing early lets us confirm the airport is viable before you plan around it.
Do you handle perishables and cool-chain cargo?
Yes, including coordination of cold-chain continuity on the ramp and expedited customs handling where the consignment is time and temperature sensitive. Tell us the product and required temperature range at enquiry.
Can you coordinate customs clearance for the consignment?
We coordinate and liaise with Indian Customs for the aircraft and support clearance for the consignment, working with your appointed customs broker or nominated agent. We are a flight support company rather than a licensed customs house agent, and we will tell you clearly where our role ends and your broker’s begins.
Do you provide the loadmaster or sign the loadsheet?
No. Load control and loadsheet responsibility remains with you as the operator or with your appointed load control provider. What we provide is ramp supervision, coordination with your load control team, and the local liaison that makes their job possible.
Can you support ACMI and wet-lease operations?
Yes. ACMI operators are a substantial part of our cargo work, and we are used to arrangements where operational control sits with one party and the commercial relationship with another. Tell us the structure at enquiry so we brief and invoice correctly.
What if a cargo flight goes AOG in India?
Call the H24 AOG line immediately on +91-88 00 70 9001. We coordinate spare parts customs clearance, engineering access, extended parking, amended permits and consignment protection. An aircraft on the ground with a full load has consequences beyond the aircraft, and we work the whole problem.
Do you handle outsize and project cargo?
Yes, subject to loading equipment availability at that airport. Outsize consignments need early notice because main-deck loader capability and stand suitability vary considerably between Indian airports. Send us the dimensions and weight and we will confirm which airports can take it.
Do you arrange the aircraft as well?
That is a different service. If you need freight capacity rather than support for your own aircraft, see our air cargo charter service, where we arrange the freighter for you.
Get a Cargo Handling Quote
Send the aircraft type, routing, dates and load details. You will have a timeline and quote within four hours, including anything we expect to be difficult.
Cargo ops desk, H24: +91-88 00 70 9001 Email: fltops@aileronair.com
