Elbee Airlines

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Elbee Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
LBE--
Founded1994
[ citation needed ]
Commenced operations1995
Ceased operations1 July 1998 [1]
Fleet size3
Parent company Elbee Services
HeadquartersMumbai, India

Elbee Airlines was India's first all-cargo airline based in Mumbai, India. [2] Elbee Airlines was started as a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbee Services, one of India's largest express logistics company that itself closed down in 2002. [3] It operated domestic cargo services until July 1998. It became operational in June 1995 having acquired an air-taxi-operator's certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to operate four Fokkers on domestic routes. [2] The Airline planned a 57 million dollar fleet renewal in 1996, by bringing in three Boeing 727 and three McDonnell Douglas DC-10 freighters to add to its three Fokker F27s. [4] However, after its freighter Fokker 27 crashed in 1997, business never returned to normalcy and the airline ceased operations by July 1998. Elbee Services ended up writing off their entire investment in the aircraft, amounting to Rs 17 crore. [5]

Contents

Destinations

Elbee operated freight services to the following destinations: [6]

Flag of India.svg India

Fleet

The fleet consisted of three Fokker 27 turboprop aircraft (in cargo configuration). [7]

RegistrationFromTo
VT-SSA Busy Bee Crashed off the coast of Mumbai in 1997
VT-SSBBusy BeeStored at Chennai Airport.
VT-SSCBusy BeeScrapped at Mumbai Airport in 2007

Accidents and incidents

VT-SSA, operating cargo flight on the Mumbai-Bangalore sector, crashed into the Arabian Sea off the Coast of Mumbai on 3 July 1997. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and both crew members died. Severe weather conditions encountered soon after take-off were said to be responsible for the accident. [8]

References

  1. ↑ "Elbee Services Ltd". The Economic Times . September 2002. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Indian Cargo Start-up". Flight Global. 10 May 1995. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  3. ↑ "Elbee's dead, long live Elbee Express". The Economic Times . 27 February 2008. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "India's private malaise". Flight Global. 26 June 1996. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "First Flight to ground air express operations". The Economic Times . 22 October 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "World Airline directory". Flight Global. 1 April 1998. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  7. ↑ "Fleet Summary, Elbee Airlines". ATDB. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "Accident Summary" (PDF). DGCA India. Retrieved 26 September 2012.


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