By plane or raft, parcel delivery startups going places in South-east Asia

Singapore

IT MAY seem unusual for a delivery upstart to launch its own cargo aircraft. But in the cut-throat game of e-commerce logistics, such big moves could be increasingly par for the course in South-east Asia.

Last month, six-year-old Indonesian courier J&T Express added to its fleet a Boeing 737-300 aircraft to deliver cargo and enable next-day delivery. The company has a fleet of over 2,500 vehicles in Indonesia, and is said to be weighing a US initial public offering that could raise over US$1 billion.