'Improvement in infrastructure would bring more business for cargo carriers'

Improvement in infrastructure in India's aviation sector would provide better business opportunities to cargo carriers, a Lufthansa official said today.
Terming the Indian market as "interesting", Lufthansa Cargo Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Executive Board Peter Gerber also said that growth in the market was returning.
"Infrastructure (in aviation) has always been a key challenge for us. I believe if infrastructure is improved, there will be better opportunities for the business," Gerber said here.
The cargo arm of the German aviation major Lufthansa has increased its freighter services to Mumbai to four flights from earlier three, since the last month.

India has always been an important market for Lufthansa Cargo, he said, adding, "We believe Indian market is very interesting and it's a huge market with thick opportunities. So we always look for it.
"After a weak 2016, market is coming back now. At the moment we see a growth of about 9 per cent (in revenue) and it may be even better this fiscal," he added.

The International Air Transport Association in June upgraded its forecast for air freight, saying the demand is expected to grow 7.5 per cent this year, compared to previous forecast of 3.5 per cent increase, and against the growth of 3.6 per cent in 2016.

He ruled out any immediate plans to expand cargo flights to other cities.
Lufthansa Cargo currently operates freighter services to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, with two freighter services per week in each city.
It also offers cargo services through 42 weekly passenger flights of Lufthansa passenger airline to various Indian cities from Frankfurt, Munich and Vienna.
Asked if Lufthansa Cargo had any plans to set up an Indian subsidiary, Gerber said there was no such plan at present.