Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, facilitated the shipment of nearly 71,406 metric tonnes (MT) of Cargo, including 6,194 MT of perishables and 2,300 MT of pharma supplies between April and July 2020. During this period, BLR Airport’s cargo market share rose to 15.3 per cent from 11.2 per cent.
While international cargo throughput was 51,728 MT, domestic was 19,678 MT during this period. Of this, perishables, including 507 MT of mangoes, were delivered to 31 international destinations. Apart from perishables and pharma, the other freight processed during this period included electronic and engineering equipment, spares and readymade garments.
Before the pandemic, BLR Airport’s cargo volumes were distributed between freighter and passenger aircraft in a 40:60 ratio. However, the nationwide lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions on international scheduled passenger flights impacted cargo movements. Several airlines commenced ‘cargo-only’ flights using passenger aircraft to bolster depressed global airfreight capacity and drive a spike in cargo demand.
About 40 per cent of BLR Airport’s cargo during the period Apr-Jul 2020, was transported by Passenger-to-Cargo or passenger flights ferrying cargo. As a result, the airport recorded more than 2,990 cargo air traffic movements (ATMs), registering 79 per cent growth over the same period last year.
Besides, BLR Airport processed 341 MT of COVID-19-related cargo from March to July.
