Seafood, pharma exporters get SpiceJet boost in Vizag airport
By Newsmeter Network Published on 25 Feb 2020 9:14 AM GMT
Highlights
- 15-year wait ends as air cargo flight is launched in Vizag
Visakhapatnam, Feb 25: Tuesday marks a historic day for seafood and pharmaceutical exporters from the city as a 15-year dream, has seen light of the day. In a morale-booster for their businesses, private airliner SpiceJet launched a dedicated cargo flight from Vizag to Surat, Kolkata and Chennai.
Launching the flight, General Manager of SpiceJet Omkar Singh said that first cargo flight SG7051 will land in Vizag at 11.50 am from Chennai and take off for Surat at 1.05 pm. It will operate thrice a week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The second freighter SG7051 will land here from Chennai at 11.50 am and take off at 1.05 pm for Kolkata on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Vizag MP, MVV Satyanarayana said that the cargo flights will be a boon to exporters, particularly those into seafood, as it can save on time considering that the products are mostly perishable.
On an average over eight tonnes of seafood is exported from here to other States, either by road or train, which are time-consuming modes and the delays have hit the exporters heavily.
With the new cargo flight, seafood and pharmaceutical exporters assert that this will boost the image of Brand Vizag.
Director of Vizag Airport Raja Kishore expressed optimism that seafood exports will achieve new highs. Both domestic and international air cargo from Vizag has been registering an increase since four years, he added.
Following is the break-up of domestic and international cargo handled by Vizag airport:
2015-16 (2,935 tonnes and 25 tonnes)
2016-17 (3,579 tonnes and 54 tonnes)
2017-18 (3,386 tonnes and 297 tonnes)
2018-19 (5,241 tonnes and 498 tonnes)
