IAG Cargo has begun services on its first commercial Boeing 787-9 on its London-Delhi route.

Businesses trading on this route will now benefit from up to 22 tons of capacity on each daily B787-9 flight.

The next-generation aircraft will prove particularly beneficial to the booming Indian pharmaceuticals industry, which is expected to reach $27 billion in sales by 2016.

With the larger holds afforded by the B787 aircraft, IAG Cargo now offers customers a weekly lift of up to 924 tons for the Indian market. The aircraft comes with state-of-the-art air conditioning systems, which maintain a regular hold temperate to within one degree’s accuracy, making it perfect for the shipment of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals. IAG Cargo’s Indian stations, including Hyderabad, Chennai, and now Delhi, are all serviced by fuel efficient next-generation Boeing 787 aircraft.

“The pharma market has been one of the major Indian success stories of the past decade,” said Alan Dorling, global head of pharmaceuticals and life sciences at IAG Cargo. “Our Constant Climate product means customers benefit from the delivery of pharmaceutical shipments in a pure, potent and stable condition for safe administration to patients. With the B787-9 now servicing Delhi, combined with the Good Distribution Practice training academy we recently held in Hyderabad, customers can rest assured we provide them with the highest quality temperature sensitive products on the market.”

In total, 22 B787-9s are scheduled to join IAG Cargo’s fleet by 2018. Following Delhi, the 787-9 will operate on routes to Abu Dhabi and Muscat in November 2015, Austin in February 2016, Kuala Lumpur in December 2015 and San Jose in May 2016.