The international cargo terminal of Tiruchi airport handled the highest ever freight tonnage of 39 tonnes on Wednesday.
As against the normal throughput of 20 tonnes a day, the cargo terminal created a record of sorts by handling 39 tonnes. Less occupancy of passengers coupled with Deepavali demand for goods abroad led to the highest ever cargo throughput in a single day, said airport sources.
Record handling of freight was achieved as all the five international flights from Tiruchi airport lifted cargo to the optimum level.
Flowers alone accounted for nearly 50 per cent of the freight, followed by vegetables. Flowers were exported to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Sharjah.
This is the first time that the cargo terminal, since its commissioning in 2011, had handled 39 tonnes in a day, said the sources.
On Tuesday, the cargo terminal handled nearly 32 tonnes. There had been robust movement of international freight in the last one week.
The terminal has so far handled over 5,000 tonnes of international cargo in the current fiscal.
Sources exude hope that the cargo target of 7,000 tonnes set for the Tiruchi airport in the current financial year could be achieved given the steady movement of freight throughput.
Tiruchi airport has direct connectivity to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and Sharjah with Air Asia, Tiger Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines, Malindo Air and Air India Express operating daily flights.
