Category Archives: Aviation

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has allowed the transshipment of Bangladesh export cargo to third countries through Delhi Air Cargo. Following representations from interested parties, the Board decided to amend Circular 29/2020-Customs, dated June 22, 2020, to allow the transshipment of Bangladesh export cargo to third countries via Delhi Air Cargo. Transhipment of goods by road from LCS Petrapole to Air Cargo Complex, Delhi is also allowed with effect from February 15, 2023, following the procedure prescribed in the aforesaid Circular, until further direction from the Board,” the amendment read. The Circular allows inter alia transshipment of Bangladesh export cargo through Kolkata Air Cargo. The goods loaded on containers/closed-bodied trucks enter India from LCS Petrapole, and move by road to Kolkata Air Cargo, from where they are airlifted and transported to third countries. It has been road to Kolkata Air Cargo, from where they are airlifted and transported to third countries. It has been represented to allow this movement through Delhi Air Cargo also, for better cargo evacuation and improved logistics efficiency.

Cathay Pacific Cargo and the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal have become the first carrier and first cargo terminal operator to have cargo shipments accepted in Dongguan and transported to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) by ship for outbound airfreight, enabling full upstream sea-air intermodal export cargo handling between the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Hong Kong. The HKIA Logistics Park in Dongguan, developed by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), enables shipments to be security screened, built up and accepted as cargo for flights before being loaded on ships that unload in a secured area at HKIA, from where pallets and ULDs can be towed straight to a waiting aircraft. The pilot scheme’s base will migrate to a permanent facility from 2025. Cissy Chan, executive director, commercial of AAHK, said: “The HKIA Logistics Park with sea-air intermodal connectivity to HKIA aims to reinforce HKIA’s role as the international air cargo hub in the GBA.” CPSL is the first cargo terminal operator (CTO) to sign an air cargo service agreement with AAHK to operate in the pilot scheme, and has established what is believed to be a first of its kind upstream bonded facility – Cathay Cargo Terminal Dongguan – located at the Bestar Logistics Centre in Dongguan. “We have been actively engaged in the downstream trials of the service over the past year and are delighted to be the first CTO to have provided full upstream acceptance of intermodal cargo in Dongguan,” said terminal operator Cathay Pacific Services Ltd chief operating officer Mark Watts. “By extending our air cargo handling services to Dongguan, we are able to offer more choice and more value-added services for our customers, as part of …

Boeing announced the launch of its Global Support Centre (GSC) and is planning to set up a new logistics centre in India as the aircraft maker seeks to expand its presence. GSC in India will provide customised operational efficiency and safety improvement projects for its airline customers, civil aviation regulatory bodies and other industry stakeholders. Besides, new logistics centre will will cater to customers, according to two releases. Investment details were not disclosed. The GSC will conduct technical workshops and projects to support aircraft reliability, enhance airplane performance, and encourage the adoption of Airplane Health Management (AHM) systems, said release. For operational improvements, Boeing said the centre will work with operators and regulators on structures and airworthiness; the Maintenance Error Decision Aid (MEDA), a human-factors tool; Air Traffic Management (ATM); aerospace optimisation; and low visibility operation through Head-Up Display (HUD) and Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS). Among other activities, the centre will conduct flight operations symposiums, engineering seminars, and continue the development of new technology studies impacting airports and operators alike. “India is well-positioned to localise maintenance services capabilities and provide cost-effective solutions given its large technical labour force, including uniquely qualified and highly trained technicians and industry capabilities,” the release added.

Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited (AISATS) has been selected by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) to Design, Build, Finance and Operate an Integrated Multi-Modal Cargo Hub (MMCH) across 87 acres at the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh. The MMCH will be equipped with unmatched connectivity options, and integrated process-driven systems to cater to the burgeoning logistic demand of the country. AISATS received the ‘Letter of Award’ (LOA) at the UP Global Investors Summit. On this occasion, Sanjay Gupta, CEO, of AISATS said, “Air cargo continues to play a pivotal role in the development of the aviation sector. India’s focus to become the manufacturing hub for the world will hugely depend on efficient logistic management to attain global competitiveness. We are aiming to develop world-class infrastructure to deliver a seamless, best-in-class cargo experience for all stakeholders. Catering to a large catchment area with a huge growth potential owing to multimodal connectivity, we are certain that MMCH will truly become the gateway to North India. MMCH, will redefine cargo warehousing in India and establish itself as a new global benchmark.”

China Eastern Airlines has extended its cargo partnership with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) with a new contract to handle Boeing 777 cargo-only flights in Liege. “The new three-year agreement between the companies will see WFS handling a forecasted 32,000 tonnes of cargo per annum carried onboard up to nine B777 flights a week into the Belgian airport from Yantai Penglai International Airport in China’s Shandong Province,” says a release from WFS. WFS is providing ramp handling for the airline’s 777 services along with warehouse operations, the release added. The contract in Liege increases WFS’ role as one of China Eastern’s preferred cargo handling partners. WFS is also supporting the airline’s cargo operations and growth at other important airport gateways including Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Stockholm and New York JFK. “Having handled charter flights for China Eastern in Liege last summer, we are delighted to have won this opportunity to support the airline’s scheduled cargo-only services to and from Yantai,” says Nathan De Valck, Managing Director, WFS Belgium. “Liege is a very important and growing cargo hub for WFS in Europe. So, it is especially pleasing to welcome another long-term WFS partner as a customer at the airport. We see this as a sign of China Eastern’s trust in WFS and our high reputation for handling freighters and cargo-only services. This new route for the airline also shows the resilience of the LGG freighter market and the role WFS is playing in the development of it.”

The latest preliminary figures from WorldACD Market Data indicate that air cargo tonnages recovered at the end of January and the beginning of February, as expected after the early Lunar New Year this year, but the increase was significantly stronger than in the equivalent period last year. Figures for week 5 (30 January to 5 February) show an increase of +11 per cent in worldwide tonnages compared with the previous week, following a large decrease the week before of -13 per cent, mainly driven by the Lunar New Year that started on 22 January. In the same period last year, tonnages increased by +3 per cent. After falling by around -8 per cent in week 4, the global average rate level recovered slightly (+1 per cent) compared with the previous week, similar to the trend observed last year, but prices remain well below their level prior to Lunar New Year. Comparing weeks 4 and 5 with the preceding two weeks (2Wo2W), tonnages are down significantly (-8 per cent) below their combined total in weeks 2 and 3, with average worldwide rates also down by -8 per cent, despite a -4 per cent decrease in capacity – based on the more than 400,000 weekly transactions covered by WorldACD’s data. On a regional level, the effect of the Lunar New Year on air cargo tonnages was most notable on flows outbound from Asia Pacific to Europe (-41 per cent), North America (-40 per cent) and the Middle East & South Asia (-38 per cent), respectively, but also on intra-Asia Pacific flows (-23 per cent). Strong increases were recorded from Central & South America to North America (+37 per cent), from Africa to …

Air Canada Cargo and Emirates SkyCargo have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deliver more benefits to their air freight customers around the world. The MoU, which builds on the airlines’ strategic commercial partnership announced last year, was signed at Emirates Headquarters in Dubai, UAE by Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo and Matthieu Casey, Managing Director Commercial, Air Canada Cargo. Under the terms of the MoU, Air Canada Cargo and Emirates SkyCargo will work closely on a number of initiatives, which include expanding cargo interline options and block space agreements, pending any required regulatory approvals. These enhancements aim to offer freight customers of both airlines access to more capacity on a larger combined global network. Air Canada Cargo will have access to Emirates SkyCargo’s high frequency distribution network through the belly-hold of Emirates scheduled passenger flights to over 140 global destinations, as well as the additional capacity offered by 11 freighters currently in the Emirates fleet. In return, SkyCargo will have access to over 60 cities in Canada and more than 150 cities across five continents through Air Canada Cargo thanks to a fleet of Boeing 767 freighters and the belly-hold capacity of Air Canada’s scheduled passenger flights.

Hyderabad-based real estate developer Laxmi Nivasam Developers has officially announced the launch of Laxmi Logistics Parks across India starting with Chittoor, Sadasivpet & Lucknow. This marks the brand’s foray into the warehousing and logistics business. Laxmi Logistics Park will be constructing 6.75 lakh sq. ft warehousing space across 30 acres land. Built with an investment of approx. Rs 150 crore and will create 1200 job opportunities for the people in and around these cities.Laxmi Logistics Park is expected to be the one stop solution for all top companies like Flipkart, Amazon, P&G etc., all over India. Moreover, the company has provided the best option for investors who are looking for passive income. It offers 8-12 per cent monthly rental yield as return on investment (RoI) on purchase of 40-sq-yard land in the logistics park at an investment of Rs 5.24 lakh. Speaking at the event, Rajendra Prasad Samundarpally, Chairman and Founder of Laxmi Nivasam Developers, said: “We are happy to launch Laxmi Logistics Park. This venture is going to change the face of Investments to the common man & is one step away from making One million Millionaires by 2035. It is going to be one of the biggest ever logistics spaces with a thought of making a common man as an owner in our company, we have started offering monthly rental incomes. Our properties are lavish and affordable for everyone. And we definitely thrive to spread aggressively across India”.

Air India SATS will set up an integrated multimodal cargo hub at the upcoming Jewar airport in Uttar Pradesh in partnership with Zurich Airport, said Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran, in his address at the UP Global Investors Summit. Air India has plans to connect every part of UP to the rest of India and potentially to important destinations of the world. I am happy to say that we are going to build an integrated multimodal air cargo through Air India SATS with our partner Zurich Airport in the new Jewar airport. Air India has a detailed plan to connect every part of UP to the rest of India and potentially to important destinations of the world,” he added.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways announced the opening of India’s largest Delhi to Mumbai Expressway with a length of 1,386 km to improve the connectivity betwee India’s National Capital Delhi and Fiancial Capital Mumbai. The minister said in a Linkedin post, “We are constructing the world’s fastest developed expressway which provides connectivity to 93 NMP Nodes, 8 MMLPs, greenfield airports (Jewar and Navi Mumbai) and port (JNPT). The 8-lane access controlled greenfield expressway would be built with alignment optimization to reduce to travel time to 12 hours from 24 hours. With a 180 km distance reduction (1424 km to 1242 km) it has scope for future expansion to the 12-lane epressway.”