Deccan 360 was an Indian cargo airline that operated express logistics and air freight services within India and to selected international destinations. The venture was founded by Captain G. R. Gopinath, the entrepreneur earlier associated with the low-cost passenger carrier Air Deccan. Deccan 360 sought to apply a similar low-cost, hub-and-spoke model to the air cargo and integrated logistics segment in India.
| Type | Cargo airline / logistics company |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Founder | Captain G. R. Gopinath |
| Primary business | Air cargo, express freight and integrated logistics |
| Operating model | Hub-and-spoke network |
| Status | Operations discontinued |
After the merger of Air Deccan with Kingfisher Airlines, Captain Gopinath turned to the cargo and logistics sector, which he viewed as underserved in India relative to the size of the domestic economy and the growth of e-commerce and time-sensitive shipments. Deccan 360 was conceived as an end-to-end logistics provider, combining dedicated freighter aircraft with surface transport and warehousing rather than functioning purely as an airline.
The company built its operations around a hub-and-spoke design, with a central sorting hub feeding regional spokes by air and onward distribution by road. The fleet included narrow-body and turboprop freighter aircraft adapted for express cargo. Services covered domestic trunk routes between major Indian metros and were extended to selected international points in Asia.
Deccan 360 is notable as one of the early attempts in India to build a dedicated, scheduled domestic air cargo carrier on the lines of integrated express operators seen in other markets. Although the venture did not achieve long-term commercial success, it drew attention to the gap in organised air freight and express logistics in India, a segment that subsequently saw renewed activity from other operators with the growth of online retail.