Turkish Cargo begins services from Hyd airport

Hyderabad: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), operated by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), has added yet another new route to its global cargo map with Turkish Cargo launching freighter operations from the city on Thursday.

The new cargo operator will operate its modern Airbus A330-200F freighters increasing the frequency to twice in a week by September 2014, connecting Hyderabad and its catchment area to 260 destinations in Europe, North & Latin Americas, Africa & CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries through its global super hub located in Istanbul. The new service is expected to enhance RGIA’s status as a strategic logistics hub in the region.

“The launch of the freighter operations by Turkish Cargo comes as a significant achievement for RGIA that has already seen an increase in freighter operations in the recent past. This new connection marks the growing importance of Hyderabad in general and RGIA in particular, on the global cargo map,” said S G K Kishore, CEO, GHIAL.

The global hub of Turkish Cargo in Istanbul complemented by the airline’s expertise will now enhance Hyderabad’s connectivity to strategic locations across the world, he added.

Currently, the RGIA manages over 1700 air traffic movements a week serving all the major GDP producing areas of the country, as well as the world. While air cargo volumes in India have grown at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9 per cent since 2006-07, RGIA recorded over 10 per cent CAGR, a stellar achievement that has been made possible by strategic planning and systematic implementation, the company said in a release.