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GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo handled its first international shipment of essential supplies via passenger aircraft operating a cargo flight on April 2, 2020.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has permitted cargo operations using existing passenger category aircraft subject to specific guidelines issued by the regulator.
Qatar Cargo QR 8311 landed with medical and other essential supplies bound for Hyderabad. The same aircraft uplifted 28 tonnes of essential supplies from Hyderabad and departed to Doha and connected the shipments from thereon to other corners of the globe.
SGK Kishore, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), said, “We are happy that DGCA has proactively permitted cargo operations using passenger category aircraft. This has opened a window of opportunity for the aviation community to leverage the fleet of idled passenger aircraft to help meet the desperate need for air cargo capacity to carry essential medicines and other supplies across the globe during this moment of global crisis.”
The DGCA order also will encourage more airlines to use their grounded passenger aircraft for cargo–only operations, including loading cargo boxed on seats inside passenger cabins for movement of cargo including essential Pharmaceuticals and food supplies.
The Hyderabad International Airport has been categorised as one of the six national hubs under Government of India’s ‘Lifeline Udan’ arrangement for operating medical cargo lifelines for the nation in this hour of crisis.
GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo and GHIAL are working in coordination with the Customs, ground handlers, regulators and others to ensure critical chain of essential supplies of medicines, vaccines, medical equipment, pharma raw material, defence goods and running even through the lockdown.
At present, GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo is handling around 10 freighters weekly along with some special cargo charters, which are connecting Hyderabad with all major international destinations moving emergency supplies.
The key scheduled freighters operating from Hyderabad include Cathay Pacific Cargo, Turkish Cargo, Qatar Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo, SpiceXpress Cargo (Domestic and international) and BlueDart Cargo.
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