KUALA LUMPUR: Teleport, the logistics venture of AirAsia Digital, has further reinforced its position as a formidable regional player in the cargo and logistics business with the launch of its dedicated Boeing 737-800 freighter today, including the unveiling its new livery design.

       Teleport chief operating officer Adrian Loretz said as the company started reconnecting with more customers via its aircraft and using the modified A320 aircraft to ship cargo earlier this year, it has realised that it can expand its capability and add more freight capacity.

       "We are going from pure airfreight, logistics provider, where we started as Teleport in 2018, to become a more comprehensive logistics solution provider,” he said in a virtual media briefing today. "The 737-800 will help us add coverage to routes with high demand such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Manila, and Jakarta, where in 2021, these routes have emerged as key trade lanes and we want to use that additional capacity to provide customers with better solutions, which include demand base frequency and reliable scheduling."

       The freighter’s fully containerised main deck and large volume capacity is also capable of carrying numerous items under the dangerous goods category as per International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations, including lithium batteries.

       The addition of the dedicated freighter will bring Teleport’s current active fleet to a total of 252 planes (including AirAsia Group’s passenger planes) and will enable greater consistent capacity on key air cargo routes across Southeast Asia.

       Teleport has also formed a partnership with Thailand’s express freight airline, K-Mile Asia, which is part of the ASL Aviation Holdings group.

       K-Mile will help to extend the company’s logistics footprint and leverage some of its experience in operating cargo aircraft, according to Loretz.

       Teleport chief executive officer Pete Chareonwongsak said over the18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has been growing and expanding using not just the power of AirAsia but also other airlines that could connect into its network.

       "At the end of our goal, we want to move everything, and build the best network foundation including door-to-door delivery in 24 hours at 50 per cent of the cost," he said.

       Since the start of 2020, Teleport has set out to build a cargo-only network across key air cargo lanes in the region to cater to the increasing e-commerce and general cargo demand.

       Teleport will continue to enhance its capabilities to compete in the fast-growing, cargo and e-commerce markets across ASEAN.

       In the coming months, Teleport said it will be adding more key cities to the freighter’s route. - Bernama