RGIA Hyderabad reports 80 per cent growth in international cargo handling

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad has logged an 80 per cent growth in the handling of international cargo during the month of September this year.

RGIA handled a total tonnage of 3,570 tonnes of international cargo in September 2008, as compared to 1,986 tonnes handled at the Begumpet airport during the corresponding period last year, marking an increase of 80 per cent.

In the first six months of its commercial operations (April-September 2008), RGIA clocked a 50 per cent increase in international cargo handling, having handled 18,000 tonnes of international cargo during this period as compared to 11,000 tonnes at Begumpet airport during the corresponding period last year.

GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) chief commercial officer Viswanath Attaluri said, ''We are very proud that RGIA has set a record in international cargo handling in the six-month period. Cargo handling at RGIA is picking up fast.''

''Thanks to our aggressive marketing strategies, we are attracting more cargo carriers and freighters to Hyderabad. Earlier, the cargo traffic used to be diverted to other cities but RGIA has successfully commenced reversing this trend.'' He said that with one of the longest runways in the country, RGIA is attracting more long-haul flights and cargo freighters with no payload restrictions. One of the world's biggest cargo plane-Boeing 747-400 F-had landed at RGIA in early September 2008 to pick up international cargo from RGIA.

The Air Cargo Complex at RGIA currently has the capacity to handle 100,000 tonnes per annum of cargo. Ultimately, the cargo handling capacity will be 1.3 million tonnes per annum.