With commercial operations having ground to a halt, Kochi-headquartered low-cost carrier Air India Express has launched all-cargo operations for the first time in its 15-years-old history. The airline, which doesn’t have cargo fleet, is employing its Boeing 737-800NG passenger aircraft for the purpose. It plans to export perishables to major destinations in the Gulf region from mainly Kerala and two airports in Tamil Nadu, along with Mumbai and Mangaluru. The inaugural flight transported around 13.5 tons of fruits and vegetables from Thiruvananthapuram to Sharjah, UAE.