Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore (KIAB / BLR Airport), today, issued an official statement informing that between April and July 2020, it handled cargo to the tune of 71,406 Metric Tonnes (MT). This volume included 6,194 MT of perishables and 2,300 MT of pharma supplies. The airport also witnessed a rise in its cargo market share to 15.3%, which was earlier 11.2%, the statement noted.
During this period, the international cargo throughput was 51,728 MT while domestic throughput stood at 19,678 MT. Of this, perishables, including 507 MT of mangos, were delivered to 31 international destinations. The airport also processed other freight including electronic and engineering equipment, spares and readymade garments during this period.
Prior to the pandemic, cargo volumes at Bangalore airport were distributed between freighters and passenger aircraft in a 40:60 ratio. However, the lockdown along with restrictions of international scheduled passenger flights impacted cargo movements. Adapting to the new normal and catering to the demand, several airlines commenced ‘cargo-only’ flights using passenger aircraft and drove a spike in cargo demand.
Bangalore airport informed that 40% of cargo during the period Apr – Jul 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, the airport processed 341 MT of COVID-19-related cargo from March to July.
Few recent achievements and highlights of BLR airport:
Oman Air set a new record by uplifting 49,593 kgs of perishable cargo from BLR Airport in June. This is the highest ever PTC uplift on an A330-300 single aircraft for both Oman Air as well as BLR Airport. The uplift included vegetables, hatching eggs, fruits and other perishables.
Emirates SkyCargo created a record, lifting 73,928 kgs on a Boeing 777-300ER Passenger to Cargo (P2C) aircraft at BLR Airport; this was a record across its network. The consignment included pharmaceuticals, garments and machinery.
DHL handled their highest tonnage of 1,461 MT in the month of June 2020. This is their highest tonnage in a month since their inception at BLR Airport in June 2020.
FedEx handled their highest tonnage of 1,385 MT in the month of June 2020. This is their highest tonnage in one month since their inception at BLR Airport.
Bangalore airport’s Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore Cargo Terminal handled a “Live Human Organs (LHO)” shipment during the COVID-19 lockdown. Lufthansa Cargo carried the shipment, which included human blood stem cells and bone marrow to Bengaluru from Frankfurt on May 1, and a similar package was exported back to the same destination on May 16.
In another achievement, BLR Airport processed a special consignment of 24,200 exotic ornamental fish from Thailand in July. With approvals from Indian Customs and the Animal Quarantine Services, Bengaluru, the Betta Splendens and Flower Horn fish were sent to their new home in Kozhikode, Kerala.
