IAG Cargo will begin freight services on the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from October, with cargo bellyhold capacity of seven pallets and 16 tonnes of lift.

The next-generation aircraft will launch five times weekly on the London Heathrow-Delhi route on October 25.

Replacing a Boeing 747 on the Delhi service, customers using this route will benefit from around 17% more capacity on each flight.

Air conditioning systems on the Dreamliner allow the British Airways and Iberia cargo arm to maintain a regular hold temperature to within one degree accuracy, ideal for pharmaceuticals and the carrier's Constant Climate product.

Steve Gunning, chief executive of IAG Cargo, commented: “IAG Cargo is in the midst of one of the biggest fleet upgrade programmes in our group’s history. The 787-9 is at the heart of this transformation, delivering more cargo capacity than its predecessors more efficiently and making it well-suited to our bellyhold operations.

"Through our investment in next-generation aircraft we will continue to be able to offer customers a diverse product portfolio that meets their requirements for extremely high levels of reliability.”