The Noida International Airport (NIA) commenced freight operations with the arrival of its first cargo plane on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the airport's development. According to reports from PTI, the inaugural cargo flight was a Boeing 737-800F operated by Afcom Holdings between Chennai and Noida, which was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute at the newly established cargo terminal. This development comes just two days after NIA started commercial passenger flights on June 15, establishing the airport as a dual-purpose transportation facility.
The AISATS Multi Modal Cargo Hub (MMCH) at NIA handled the domestic freighter flight at its integrated cargo terminal, demonstrating the facility's operational readiness. As reported by PTI, the aircraft carried nearly 20 tonnes of assorted cargo, including perishable goods, consolidated consignments, automobile components and mobile devices. The cargo hub, developed by AISATS, spans 87 acres and comprises a 30-acre integrated cargo terminal and a 57-acre integrated warehousing and logistics zone. The facility has been designed to handle a wide range of cargo including pharmaceuticals, perishables, electronics, engineering goods, e-commerce shipments and express cargo, while integrating digital cargo management systems to improve supply chain efficiency.
According to PTI, this development represents a major step towards establishing NIA as a logistics gateway for northern India by integrating air cargo handling, warehousing and multimodal connectivity. AISATS Chief Executive Officer Ramanathan Rajamani stated that the successful handling of the first cargo aircraft marked "the beginning of a new phase in India's logistics and supply chain ecosystem." He noted that as supply chains become increasingly dependent on speed and connectivity, integrated infrastructure has become essential, with the MMCH designed to bring cargo handling, warehousing and multimodal transportation under a single platform. The facility includes purpose-built cold storage zones for temperature-sensitive cargo such as pharmaceuticals, fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables, with exporters in surrounding YEIDA sectors able to transport goods from production units to aircraft within 30 minutes, significantly reducing transit time.
Noida International Airport Vice Chairman Christoph Schnellmann highlighted the region's growing industrial base, particularly in manufacturing, electronics and agriculture, and noted that the cargo facility would provide businesses with faster and more dependable access to domestic and international markets. As reported by PTI, proposed rail spurs would connect NIA with the Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai trunk lines, while the airport's proximity to the Western and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridors would make it an intermodal hub integrating air, road and rail freight. Afcom Holdings Chairman and Managing Director Deepak Parsuraman called the launch of the Chennai–Noida–Chennai cargo service an important milestone for both the company and India's air cargo sector, with collaboration at the cargo hub expected to improve operational efficiency and service reliability.
