Cargo Breaking News
Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB/BLR Airport) facilitated shipment of ~71,406 Metric Tonnes (MT) of cargo including 6,194 MT of perishables and 2,300 MT of pharma supplies between April and July 2020. During this period, BLR Airport’s cargo market share rose to 15.3 per cent from 11.2 per cent. While international cargo throughput was 51,728 MT, domestic was 19,678 MT during this period. Of this, perishables, including 507 MT of mangos, were delivered to 31 international destinations. Apart from perishables and pharma, the other freight processed during this period included electronic and engineering equipment, spares and readymade garments.
Before the pandemic, airport’s cargo volumes were distributed between freighter and passenger aircraft in 40:60 ratios. However, the lockdown and subsequent restrictions on international scheduled passenger flights, impacted cargo movements. Several airlines commenced ‘cargo-only’ flights using passenger aircraft to bolster depressed global airfreight capacity and drive a spike in cargo demand. About 40 per cent of BLR Airport’s cargo during the period April to July 2020, was transported by Passenger-to-Cargo (PTC: Passenger flights ferrying cargo) aircraft. As a result, BLR Airport recorded more than 2,990 Cargo ATMs, registering a 79% growth over the same period last year.
In addition, BLR Airport processed 341 MT of COVID-19-related cargo from March to July.
