BLUE DART ACQUIRES THIRD AIRCRAFT

- augments fleet, capacity -

Blue Dart, India's largest integrated air express and logistics company, has acquired its third aircraft, a Boeing 737, as part of its fleet expansion plans. The Boeing 737 has undergone conversion from a passenger to a cargo aircraft at Stambaugh Aviation, the DGCA and FAA approved facility in the USA. The aircraft has been acquired by the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Blue Dart Aviation

The new aircraft which will enhance the cargo capacity of Blue Dart by 45,000 kgs daily, will operate on the Bangalore-Delhi-Bangalore sectors. It will also be available for charter operations within India, and to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, during the day. A certificate of Air Worthiness from the Civil Aviation Authorities of the Government of India has been obtained by Blue Dart for the new aircraft.

Announcing the acquisition of the third aircraft at a press conference in Bangalore, Tulsi Mirchandaney, Sr. V.P. Marketing & Projects, announced, "This acquisition reinforces Blue Dart's leadership in the domestic express industry. It reiterates our commitment to our customers and enables us to enhance our service capabilities".

Blue Dart Aviation Limited is the only Aviation Company to fly its own three Boeing 737's in India. These freighters offer a capacity of 16 tonnes each, enabling the company to provide overnight delivery for shipments ranging from 500 grams to a charter load, keeping its commitment of being the fastest, most reliable delivery service within the country.

Blue Dart Express Limited is India's leading express company with a 38% share in the domestic market. Blue Dart today offers a comprehensive range of services and products for both international and domestic shippers. Blue Dart's continuous commitment towards understanding the needs and concerns of the customer has enabled it to provide unmatched standards of service quality with 99.95% reliability levels in the express industry. Over the years, Blue Dart has managed to expand this market rapidly, which is reflected in its turnover growth over the last three years. Blue Dart is the largest Global Service Participant of FedEx, the world's largest air express transportation company.

For further information contact

marketing@bluedart.com
Dated : February 28, 2001