First Poste Air Cargo flight links Taranto‑Grottaglie with Istanbul

Flight launch

The inaugural cargo flight left Taranto‑Grottaglie for Istanbul, using a Boeing 737F from the Poste Air Cargo fleet. The service is a collaboration between Poste Air Cargo and Turkish Cargo.

Sources differ on the exact departure date, with some reporting the flight took off on 3 October 2026 and others stating it departed “today”.

Aircraft and partners

Poste Air Cargo will operate the route with a Boeing 737F, and the partnership with Turkish Cargo provides access to a cargo network covering more than 300 international destinations.

Project scope

The experimental project, promoted by the Regione Puglia, runs from 2026 to 2028 and is supported by an investment of over 1.3 million euros.

The logistics hub at Grottaglie was built by Aeroporti di Puglia with sub‑concessionaire Gesfa and includes facilities for fresh goods and cold‑chain handling.

Regional impact

Antonio Decaro, president of the Puglia Region, said the new platform supports exports and reduces costs for the agro‑food industry, while Antonio Maria Vasile, president of Aeroporti di Puglia, highlighted its role in competitiveness and internationalisation.

The service aims to reduce road transport of agro‑food products to other Italian and European cargo airports and to give Puglia goods access to markets in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Northern Europe and North America.