Elbee Airlines
# Elbee Airlines

Elbee Airlines was India's first all-cargo airline based in Mumbai, India. 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. 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. 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. However, after its freighter Fokker 27 crashed in 1997, business never returned to normalcy and the airline ceased operations by July 1998.

## Destinations

Elbee operated freight services to the following destinations:

### India

* Delhi - Indira Gandhi International Airport
* Bengaluru - Bengaluru International Airport
* Mumbai - Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport base
* Chennai - Chennai International Airport

## Fleet

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

| Registration | From | To |
| - | - | - |
| VT-SSA | Busy Bee | Crashed off the coast of Mumbai in 1997 |
| VT-SSB | Busy Bee | Stored at Chennai Airport. |
| VT-SSC | Busy Bee | Scrapped 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.

