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Ashwini Phadnis

IA's annual report for 2000-01, tabled in Parliament recently, points out that there has been a steady increase in the volume of cargo carried by it since 1996-97.

THE state-owned Indian Airlines (IA), which reported a net loss of Rs 159.17 crore during 2000-01, however, experienced a marginal growth in cargo throughput during the year at 91,418 tonnes compared to 91,392 tonnes in 1999-2000.

IA's annual report for 2000-01, tabled in Parliament recently, points out that there has been a steady increase in the volume of cargo (including excess baggage) carried by it since 1996-97. In 1996-97, IA carried 85,766 tonnes of cargo; there was a marginal decline in the following year at 82,150 tonnes.

Over the next two years, the throughputs were higher at 86,317 tonnes in 1998-99 and 91,392 tonnes in 1999-2000. However, the airline has been unable to reach the figure of 93,566 tonnes it achieved in 1995-96. In recent years, IA's share in the mail traffic is showing a declining trend — from 12,814 tonnes in 1999-2000 to 12,784 tonnes in 2000-01.

IA carries a wide variety of commodities such as general cargo, vaccines, fruits, vegetable, flowers, livestock, precious cargo and valuable cargo such as gold jewellery, silver, bullion and currency, among others.

To store perishables such as vaccines, fruits and medicines, among others, there is a very large walk-in cooler at Delhi cargo complex wherein perishable cargo can be stored at temperatures ranging between 2-8 degrees celsius, according to IA sources. Besides, the airline also carries courier bags on board for various courier consolidators such as Fedex and First Flight which serve the courier companies. The airline reported a cargo load factor of about 66.66 per cent in 2000-01 with revenue earning of around Rs 300 crore, the sources add.

IA can carry up to 10 tonnes of cargo on an Airbus A-300 aircraft, between 4-5 tonnes of cargo on an Airbus A-320 aircraft, and three tonnes of cargo on a Boeing 737 aircraft, the sources added.

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