GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), which runs the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in the city, is in talks with five international freight carriers to start operations from here, a top executive of GHIAL has said.

Mr Hemanth DP, Chief Operating Officer, said Lufthansa Cargo, which has been operating three flights a week, is set to start fourth freighter in a few days.

“At this point of time, we are in discussion with five major freighters to start operations from Hyderabad. Their senior-most management has visited us and some of them have complemented that it is one of the best airports in the world,” Mr Hemanth told PTI.

Currently, there are three full-body freighters operating from Hyderabad. Emirates is operating three-body cargo freighters. Each of it has 15 to 20 tonne capacity.

Hyderabad airport handled 80,777 tonnes of cargo in 2010-11 and 55 per cent of it was international, he said

About the Free Trade Zone set-up in the 250-acre SEZ, Mr Hemanth said the company is in the final stages of discussion with some large global logistics and 3PL players and expect to conclude the negotiations shortly.

FTZ would help logistics companies to warehouse, distribute, trade and value-add to their commodities for both short and long term, without an impact on import duty.

“We have started with 20 acres at this point in time and have the option to expand the FTZ area furthermore, which we will, as we move along,” he said.

Lufthansa Cargo had earlier certified GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) to be one of its key cargo hubs in south Asia for transport of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, making it India’s first airport to enjoy such a status.

The dedicated pharma zone at Hyderabad airport, which became operational in January, has the capacity to provide temperature-controlled handling for more than 30,000 tons of pharma products annually.

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