Quikjet certification paves way for Amazon-branded freighter ops

Quikjet Cargo Airlines has obtained its Indian air operator certificate (AOC) and could soon begin scheduled freighter operations — including with an Amazon-branded 737-800BCF.

The AOC, which the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued Dec. 12, is valid until Dec. 11, 2027.

Quikjet has already taken delivery of two 737-800BCFs and used one of them to conduct what appear to be proving or certification flights between major cities in India earlier this month. The 2002-vintage aircraft (30643, ex-Jet Time) wears full Amazon colors with Quikjet’s name painted near the cockpit windows and had arrived in Hyderabad (HYD) at the end of July after conversion in Jinan (TNA).

The other 737-800BCF is the 1999-vintage unit 28382 (ex-Comair), which is painted in Quikjet’s normal livery and was ferried from TNA to HYD on Nov. 28.

Cargo Facts believes that units 30643 and 28382, which were deregistered from the U.S. and exported to India on Nov. 1 and Dec. 6, respectively, are on lease from Marathon Asset Management.

Quikjet received a no-objection certificate (NOC) for its application from the DGCA on Aug. 2, according to a social media post from the carrier.

Quikjet is part of the ASL Aviation Holdings group and previously had a 737-400SF (28490) as well as an ATR 72-200F (313) that were transferred back to ASL in 2017 and 2013, respectively, after Quikjet suspended operations.

ASL declined to comment, while Quikjet was not immediately available for comment.

India has seen two new freighter operators begin flying in the past few months, with IndiGo taking delivery of the first of two A321-200P2Fs and Pradhaan Air Express taking the world’s first A320-200P2F. More are set to follow in the year ahead; new startup Afcom expects to start operations with a 737-800BCF while Blue Dart Aviation intends to add at least two 737-800BCFs to complement its fleet of 757-200PCFs.

While unit 30643 will be the first Amazon-branded 737 to fly in India, the retail giant has dry leased twenty 737-800BCFs and placed them with Atlas Air and Sun Country Airlines for CMI operation in the U.S., and placed two 737-800BCFs and seven 737-800SFs with ASL’s Ireland-based airline for CMI operation in Europe.

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