Jet Airways has dropped plans indefinitely to start dedicated freighter services, as it doesn’t find market conditions conducive, according to un-named sources quoted by India’s Economic Times. India’s second-biggest airline by market share had applied to the country’s aviation regulator for approval to operate maindeck capacity last February to domestic destinations as well as Hong Kong, Hanoi and Singapore.

“The launch of dedicated freighter operations by Jet Airways has been deferred indefinitely due to commercial and operational reasons,” said Jet. “Internal processes and framework are in place at Jet Airways and our strategic partner Etihad Airways to allow the initiative to progress at a later date,“ he added. Jet had plans to wet lease an Airbus A330-200F from its strategic partner Etihad Airways which owns a 24 per cent stake in Jet.

A total of 2.3 million tonnes of cargo was uplifted domestically and internationally, according to the Airports Authority of India website. Air India had started dedicated cargo services in India but stopped and GR Gopinath, the former owner of low-fare carrier Air Deccan, also started a cargo offhoot from his Deccan 360 airline known as Deccan Cargo and Express Logistics. That too folded within two years.