Singapore's Tiger Airways makes Sri Lanka's Tiruchi Airport a cargo star

SINGAPORE'S Tiger Airways has started taking on cargo at Tiruchi Airport in Tiruchirappalli, Sri Lanka, making it the fourth major airline to lift freight from the city after Sri Lankan Airlines, Air Asia and Mihin Lanka.

Currently, Tiger Airways operates nine flights a week on the Singapore-Tiruchi-Singapore sector and is likely to add two more a week by October. With the start of taking on freight from Tiruchi, the total available capacity of the airlines for cargo exports from the city would be around 300 to 350 tonnes a month, according to The Hindu Business Line.

Air India Express, the other major operator from the city, remains the only airline that does not lift cargo though it operates services to Singapore, Dubai and other destinations.

Today, the airport handles 200 tonnes of cargo a month and last year 2,022 tonnes of air freight were exported. Perishables, mainly vegetables, account for nearly 90 per cent of the cargo exports with textile fabric and occasional medicinal supplies accounting for the remaining 10 per cent. The exports were mainly to Singapore, Kuwait, Kuala Lumpur, Doha and Male via Colombo.

The city's new cargo complex is expected to give a boost to exports and imports following its expansion. Industry sources feel there is scope for increased throughput with the potential to increase imports of industrial and engineering accessories for the fabrication industry, including the power sector.

"Now the field is open for the industry to exploit and explore options for export of general cargo, other than perishables," said a representative of the travel trade. In addition representatives of freight agencies point out that once Air India Express decides to take on cargo, there could be more uplift capacity available at the airport.