Reduce cargo charges: APATA to Air India CMD

Visakhapatnam: Vice-president of Andhra Pradesh Air Travelers Association (APATA) O Naresh Kumar and independent director of Air India Limited Daggubati Purandeswari met Chairman and Managing Director of Air India Limited Ashwani Lohani and submitted a request to add more flights to its fleet and reduce cargo charges of Air India flights from Visakhapatnam.

Air India was charging Rs 40 per kg cargo from Visakhapatnam to Dubai till April 15. However, it has been increased to Rs 50 a kg from the next day. Air India has been charging Rs 40 a kg for cargo from Hyderabad since 2018.

Owing to increase in the freight and freight variation between Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad Airports, exporters and traders from Visakhapatnam were not able to continue exporting products to Dubai and other destinations.

Representatives of the APATA requested his CMD's intervention in reducing the cargo charges on par with Hyderabad airport charges and improve ease of doing business in AP by promoting air cargo from Visakhapatnam. Later, they also met general manager Commercial Cargo Nirbhik Narang.