Delhi-based MSD Aviation gets no-objection certificate to launch cargo airline

New Delhi:  After providing initial approvals to six airlines to operate national and regional passenger services since coming to power in May, the new government has issued a no-objection certificate to a Delhi-based company, MSD Aviation Pvt Ltd, to launch a cargo carrier.

"The airline will now have to apply to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for a permit," a senior civil aviation ministry official said. Getting an NOC is the first step towards launching flight operations. MSD Aviation now has to apply to the aviation regulator for an air operator's permit, complete all necessary requirements and satisfy the DGCA of its capability to operate.
The company is in the business of leasing flight crew internationally, according to information on its website. An executive at the company said it could share its plans only after getting a formal approval letter from the ministry.
Read news in full 15/09/14 Mihir Mishra/Economic Times

ANA to Fly Cargo to India Amid Freighter-Fleet Expansion

ANA Holdings Inc., the only Japanese airline that operates freighters, plans to add cargo routes to India to tap South Asian demand for car parts and electronic components.

The carrier plans to add two Boeing Co. 767 freighters to its fleet of 12 aircraft by March 2017 to accommodate the expanded service, Akira Okada, the president of ANA Cargo Inc. said in a Sept. 10 interview. Rather than round-trip flights, the Tokyo-based company is considering triangular routes to better capture demand between regions along the way.

Cargo exports rise steadily despite lack of freight flights

Tiruchi: Despite lack of dedicated cargo aircraft, export of goods from Tiruchi international airport has witnessed steady growth over the past three years.

The space available in international passenger flights was being utilised to dispatch cargo to different overseas destinations. Ever since the dedicated air cargo terminal was commissioned in 2011, the volume of goods handled by it had shot up considerably.

Starting with 2,075 tonnes in 2011-12, the figure rose to 2,920 tonnes in the subsequent fiscal and 4,773 tonnes in 2013-14.

Qatar Airways cargo adds second frequency to Delhi

This second frequency builds rapidly on the back of the first freighter service from Doha which arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on 4 May, this year.

“India is a highly important market for Qatar Airways Cargo,” said Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, Mr. Ulrich Ogiermann.  “We are delighted to start our second freighter service to Delhi, just two months after launching the first freighter on 4 May.

“Delhi has one of India's largest and fastest growing retail industries, and on top of that, it is an important commercial capital for Asia.” added Mr. Ogiermann.

Wake Up Call For India Airports

There seems to have been a sudden realization in India’s Civil Aviation Ministry circles that cargo has been ignored for far too long.
     Though the fact might not be accepted by officials in the ministry, proposals for the establishment of cargo facilities that were pending for quite some time have been given the green signal.
     The moves, perhaps, are also linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s thrust on infrastructure.
     One such proposal wants to establish a permanent cargo terminal at Amritsar International Airport.
     The state government of Punjab sent a request to the government-controlled Airports Authority of India (AAI), which operates the Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport at Amritsar, to turn the existing temporary cargo terminal into a permanent one.
     The state also said that the Punjab government would give the land required to enhance the cargo facility.

Mumbai airport cargo goes paper-free

Now, the clearance of cargo goods at the airport is all set to get smoother. Airport authorities have made the cargo handling division paperless with all entries of imported-exported goods to be done online.
An official from Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) said the airlines and agents will now have to issue online delivery order messages.

"The system has the capability to validate orders online before the generation of final gate pass and, thereby, ease the operational work," said a senior MIAL official.

Cargo services stopped at Srinagar Int’l Airport: Cherry exporters hit

Srinagar: Airport Authority of India today refused to allow airlifting of cherry consignments from Srinagar International Airport in view of renovation of the runway.
The move created panic among the Kashmir fruit exporters fearing huge losses.
The fruit dealers were shocked to learn that the airlines have stopped cargo services on the directions of AAI.
President, New Kashmir Fruit Association, New Fruit Complex, Parimpora, Bashir Ahmad Basheer told Greater Kashmir that they were informed this morning by the AAI authorities that no cargo deliveries will take place due to renovation of runway.
“It is very unfortunate that in the middle of season, the AAI authorities have decided to start renovation and upgradation of runway without informing the stakeholders and have stopped the cargo services putting at risk horticulture business in Kashmir,” Basheer said.
“Cherry is highly perishable item and the local fruit dealers used cargo services from its shipment from Srinagar to various station like Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Goa, Chennai, Delhi, etc,” he said.

Govt plans to develop air cargo terminal facilities

New Delhi: The Government plans to develop domestic air cargo infrastructure throughout the country.
After reviewing the functioning of Airports Authority of India, Ashok Lavasa, Secretary, Civil Aviation, said that the work for development of these facilities shall be in sync with the Government’s plan for development of air cargo facilities throughout the country and development of national logistics network for faster movement of cargo goods.
At the meeting AAI said it had recently set up a facility at Mangalore airport with an area of 1,400 sqm for international cargo and 1,100 sqm for domestic cargo thereby providing an annual holding capacity of 5,000 tonnes for international import cargo, 13000 tonnes for export cargo.
Read news in full 11/06/14 Business Line