Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI) welcomed the Airbus Beluga XL for the first time on Tuesday, October 8. The Beluga XL aircraft is the largest in the Beluga series. It landed in Kolkata carrying essential components for Airbus aircraft.

This was the aircraft’s first ever mission outside Europe.

The successful landing of the Beluga aircraft marked a major milestone in the chapters of Indian aviation. It arrived in Kolkata from Bahrain International Airport and then departed for Tianjin Binhai International Airport in China.

Today, the aircraft returned to Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI) at 5:47 AM IST, coming in from Tianjin Binhai International Airport in China.

Airbus Beluga XL landing: Why was Kolkata chosen?

The Kolkata airport was the only airport in Eastern India which had the capability to handle the large aircraft, The Indian Express reported. The airport’s capacity to manage such a large aircraft highlighted its expanding capabilities and growing significance in the global aviation network. Kolkata’s strategic location and well-developed infrastructure made it a perfect stopover for the aircraft.

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The landing of the Beluga XL in Kolkata was made possible through close coordination between the Airport Authority of India (AAI), NSCBI Kolkata, the Ground Handling Agency, and Mach1 Aviation.

An airport official said, “Mach1 Aviation, who is engaged to arrange airport permissions, clearances from Indian ministry and statutory authorities on behalf of the Airbus Transport International, said that this is the first trip of the ABB XL out of Europe and the operator is planning many more flights in the coming future.”

Beluga Airbus XL

Resembling a whale, the aircraft derives its name from the one it resembles. This unique aircraft is a specialised wide-body airliner designed for transporting oversized cargo, including aircraft components. The Beluga XL, specifically, has the capacity to carry both wings of an Airbus A350 jetliner.

It is larger than its predecessor, Beluga ST, in size. Having 30 per cent more transport capacity, it is seven metres longer and one metre wider. The Beluga XL can carry a maximum payload of 51 tonnes, surpassing the Beluga ST’s capacity of 44 tonnes. It also has a range of 4,000 kilometers (2,200 nautical miles).