After going up significantly in 2007-08 air cargo traffic at the country's metro airports dipped slightly in 2008-09. The quantum of cargo handled at the major airports Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad in the years 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 was approximately 1,329,000, 1,457,000 and 1,418,000 MT respectively.

This information was supplied to the Lok Sabha by civil aviation minister Praful Patel.

The growth rates in air cargo for the period 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 for major airports are variously estimated at 1%, 6.99% and 8% for Mumbai, 3.7%, 4% and 5% for Delhi, 2%, 5% and 10% for Chennai, 3%, 6% and 8% for Kolkata, 3.8%, 6% and 7% for Bangalore and 6%, 8% and 9% for Hyderabad respectively.

The steps taken to boost air cargo traffic include installation of modern colour x-ray machines, introduction of more automation and mechanization in the air cargo handling activities, implementation of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems, introduction of bar-coding of consignments, provision of integrated cargo terminals etc.

Estimated cost for infrastructure development for air cargo at the major airports comes to Rs830 crore approximately.