Mangaluru International Airport Launches International Cargo Operations

 Mangaluru: Mangaluru International Airport officially launched its international cargo operations on July 5, following the commencement of services on July 2.

The inaugural flight, IX 815, transported 2,522 kilograms of fruits and vegetables to Abu Dhabi. The launch event was attended by the AAHL Cargo team, airport leadership, and representatives from Customs, IndiGo, Air India Express, and the CISF Airport Security Group.

The Commissioner of Customs appointed the airport as a Custodian and Customs Cargo Service Provider on May 10, 2024, paving the way for international cargo services.

According to the spokesperson of the airport, the new cargo operations will benefit exporters from coastal Karnataka, Kerala, and surrounding regions. They can now export perishables like fresh fruits and vegetables, food, tropical fish, frozen and dry fish, as well as other commodities such as machine parts, textiles, shoes, plastic coloring material, and ship parts.

With connectivity provided by IndiGo and Air India Express, exporters will be able to send cargo to destinations including Dubai, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain.

The airport began its domestic cargo operations on May 1, 2023, and handled 3,706.02 tonnes of cargo in the first 11 months of operation during the financial year 2024-25.

This includes 279.21 tonnes of inbound and 3,426.8 tonnes of outbound cargo. Notably, 95% of the outbound domestic cargo comprised post-office mail, primarily bank and UIDAI-related documents such as credit/debit cards and Aadhaar cards.