Cargo handler Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) has signed two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to explore bringing new freighter services to its Multi-Modal Cargo Hub (MMCH) at Noida International Airport.
The agreements were signed with SpiceXpress, the cargo arm of SpiceJet, and cargo general sales and service agent (GSSA) Total Solutions during the recent Air Cargo Forum India event.
AISATS, a 50:50 joint venture between Air India and SATS, said the partnership with SpiceXpress will explore freighter operations at the MMCH, leveraging the facility’s strategic location, infrastructure and digital capabilities to improve connectivity between domestic and international markets.
The agreement with Total Solutions is aimed at supporting the expansion of cargo capacity and connectivity as cargo activity at Noida International Airport gains momentum. AISATS said the partnership would contribute to its ambition of establishing the MMCH as a major freighter hub in the region.
Noida International Airport began flight operations in mid-June and currently has scheduled passenger services operated by IndiGo and Akasa Air. The airport has been developed by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Zurich Airport International, in partnership with the governments of Uttar Pradesh and India.
The airport is being positioned as an alternative to New Delhi’s existing airport infrastructure and is expected to support the growing cargo requirements of industrial clusters across the National Capital Region and Uttar Pradesh.
AISATS’ MMCH includes a cargo terminal and a dedicated warehousing and logistics zone with an annual handling capacity of around 250,000 tonnes. The facility is designed to accommodate freight forwarders and integrators, along with a transhipment centre and transportation infrastructure supporting road-to-road, road-to-air and air-to-road cargo movements.
The hub is expected to play a key role in developing Noida International Airport as a cargo gateway for Northern India.
AISATS handled its first domestic freighter operation at the MMCH in June, when an Afcom Boeing 737-800 freighter arrived from Chennai carrying around 20 tonnes of cargo, including perishables and precision components.
The latest agreements mark another step in AISATS’ efforts to build a wider freighter network at the new airport and strengthen its role in Northern India’s air cargo ecosystem.
