Hyd airport may see lower passenger numbers this year

Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HRGIA), operated by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited, expects slightly lower passenger numbers this year because of the local challenges being faced by domestic airlines.

“We closed last year with 16 per cent growth, recording the second-highest passenger traffic after the Delhi airport. Passenger numbers, however, don’t look as attractive as last year, courtesy the domestic airline sector passing through tough times. To maintain last year's growth is challenging,” Vikram R Jaisinghani, chief executive of HRGIA, told mediapersons here on Friday.

HRGIA handled 8.6 million passengers (including 1.9 million international travellers) last year. Jaisinghani said international passenger traffic from Hyderabad did not grow much last year because of capacity crunch. “We foresee a 10 per cent growth in international passenger traffic as we expect a lot of bilaterals to come through this year,” he added.

On the cargo front, the airport handled 82,000 tonne during the 2011-12 financial year, with pharmaceutical products having a dominant share.

“Pharma still dominates the cargo scene at Hyderabad. Going forward, this will change as we intend to make this airport as the country’s main cargo hub. Our idea is to send cargo from potential locations like Visakhapatnam, Pune and Nagpur via Hyderabad airport. Last year, we reported 9 per cent growth in exports. It should be 9-10 per cent this fiscal,” he said.

To a query on the pending receivables from Air India and Kingfisher Airlines, Jaisinghani said the airport would be talking to them shortly. “These things are not going to remain for long. We look forward to growing business with them.”

HRGIA is planning to rope in international names to double its retail business in the next two months. Besides, it is looking at divesting 100 equity in Hyderabad Duty Free Retail Limited, owned by GHIAL, and is in the process of calling for bids. “At present, our non-aero revenues stand at 40 per cent, which we expect to touch 50 per cent in two-three years down the line,” he added.

Thai Airways to add one more freighter

Thai Airways commenced its Bangkok-Hyderabad-Frankfurt cargo freighter service with a Boeing 747-400F from Hyderabad on Thursday. The airways is planning to induct one more Boeing 747-400F freighter with 100-tonne capacity into its fleet next month, which would fly from Bangkok to Amsterdam connecting the Indian cities of Chennai and New Delhi.

“Our idea is to handle heavy-density cargo, including heavy machinery and aircraft engines, from Europe to Asia for maintenance,” said Pichai Chunganuwad, managing director of Thai Airways.

Thai Airways handled 700,000 tonne cargo in the 2011 calendar, reporting a flat growth over the previous year on account of the economic crisis. With the second half of the current calendar predicted to be better, it expects a 10 per cent growth, he added.