We expect full recovery in air cargo sector by March 2021: Hardeep Singh Puri

While interacting with air cargo industry experts at the Air Cargo Virtual Meet organised by ACFI on the theme of ‘Changing Consumption Patterns– Transforming Supply Chains’, Hardeep Sigh Puri, says, “In all our endeavours in our efforts against COVID, one sector which has outshone all others is air cargo. In April 2020, air cargo handled at Indian airports was just 17 per cent of April 2019 levels. By June 2020, it reached 60 per cent mark. In September 2020, it was 82 per cent. By January 2021, it was 94 per cent of the cargo handled during same period last year. We expect full recovery by March 2021.”

“Green shoots are visible across the air cargo sector. Srinagar witnessed 300%+ growth in air cargo as compared to pre-Covid levels. Surat saw a growth of more than 200%. Guru Nagri Amritsar is close to 80 per cent and Varanasi saw a growth of 96 per cent in air cargo movement. These figures confirm our understanding that Civil Aviation is one of the critical drivers of economic growth as well as an important indicator of economic recovery. Aviation industry will soon bounce back to its full potential,” he adds.