Mangaluru International Airport has initiated international cargo operations on Saturday (July 6) from its integrated cargo terminal, with flight IX 815 transporting 2,522 kgs of fruits and vegetables to Abu Dhabi.
According to the officials, a formal inauguration took place on Friday in the presence of the AAHL Cargo team, Mangaluru International Airport leadership, Customs representatives, and personnel from Airlines such as IndiGo and Air India Express, as well as the Airport Security Group of CISF.
The formal launch was done on Friday, in the presence of the AAHL Cargo team, the leadership team of the Mangaluru International Airport as well as representatives from Customs, Airlines – IndiGo and Air India Express – and Airport Security Group of CISF, they said.
Domestic cargo operations was set up in May
This much-anticipated development follows the commencement of domestic cargo operations at the airport on May 1, 2023, marking a significant milestone achieved just over a year ago, according to officials.
The Commissioner of Customs appointed the airport as Custodian and Customs Cargo Service Provider on May 10 this year, signaling the green light for international cargo operations.
Collaborating closely with regulatory bodies and airline partners, the airport diligently pursued its designation as a Customs Cargo Service Provider.
International cargo operations
The launch of international cargo operations will facilitate exporters from coastal Karnataka, Kerala, and the hinterland to export perishable goods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, along with food items, machine parts, textiles, shoes, tropical and frozen fish, plastic coloring material, and ship components (like propellers) as belly cargo.
IndiGo and Air India Express, with their extensive network, will enable exporters to transport cargo to Dubai, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain.
In the realm of domestic cargo, the airport has demonstrated strong performance by handling 3,706.02 tonnes of cargo in the first 11 months of operations during the financial year 2024-25.
This included 279.21 tonnes of inbound and 3,426.8 tonnes of outbound cargo. Notably, 95% of the outbound domestic cargo comprised post-office mail, consisting primarily of bank and UIDAI-related documents such as credit/debit cards and Aadhaar cards, officials highlighted.