Cargo Breaking News
Bureau of Civil Aviation and Security (BCAS) had initially withdrawn permission for export cargo terminal at Chennai, AI Airport Services Ltd (AIASL) to accept palletized air cargo, due to which over 100 tonnes of export cargo could not be airlifted at the Chennai airport in the last few days, resulting in major chaos and mismanagement at the airport. The AIASL (formerly known as Air India Air Transport Services Limited) and the Airports Authority of India Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Ltd (AAICLAS) are the two authorized ground handling agents at the Chennai air cargo complex to handle export cargo. Nearly 30 per cent of the cargo is handled by Air India, and the rest, 70 per cent by AAI. This sudden closure of the export cargo terminal at Chennai (AIASL) came as a big setback for all the users.
Pune Airport Cargo Update
According to a credible source, BCAS has allowed only three airlines namely Air India, SpiceJet and Go Air to start handling Domestic Cargo movements at Pune International Airport from 04.01.2023. Since these 3 airlines have their own Security scanner facility at Pune International Airport, BCAS granted them permission to handle only Domestic Cargo movements.
Other airlines are yet to receive permission from the concerned authorities to start handling Domestic Cargo movements from Pune International Airport.
Decision regarding International Cargo movements is yet to be received from the concern authorities. So International Cargo movements will get hampered in the coming days and exporters using Pune International Airport for their International movements will have to use other airports to conduct their ongoing movements.
“There is a possibility that buyers abroad could cancel orders from Indian exporters. No prior intimation was given to the trade, said the sources. “Trade has been caught by surprise as immediate alternate arrangements were not available and no export cargo had been uplifted by all the carriers handled by AIASL. Mainly affected airline customer is Singapore Airlines. Most of Perishable cargo destined to SE Asia is processed only at AIASL facility. This is a severe setback to the image of Chennai airport which continues to lose both passenger and cargo traffic to Bangalore. Other international customers include, Turkish Cargo, Thai Airways and Saudia Cargo,” shared Indian cargo agents and associations.
It is learnt that the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) and The Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations in India (FFFAI) have taken up the issue with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to intervene in the matter and sort out the problem. According to the agents, the aircraft space on aircraft is also going empty, causing losses to the airlines, which they are likely to recover on their subsequent flights or by airlines of AAICLAS terminal by increasing the air freight rates drastically.
The industry stakeholders have now received an extension notification for these airports till 31st march 2023 to convert to RA.
