GMR Hyderabad Airport Cargo has launched a platform to facilitate cargo charter operations at Hyderabad's air cargo terminal to boost both the Indian gateway's regional and worldwide connectivity.

The airport operator said the “Hyderabad Cargo Charter Circle (HC3)” that will serve as an "air charter hub" is a membership-based program that will provide several benefits such as additional free cargo storage time, priority storage allocation, a single point of contact for all aspects related to cargo handling, end-to-end logistics support within the terminal and 24/7 customer-centric support.

Consignees across southern India will also benefit from the reduction of multiple handlings of their consignment, giving them more reliability and control over their cargo throughout the transit process, the statement said.

The program follows what Hyderabad International Airport said was "an encouraging demand for cargo charters in the segments like pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, telecom, defence and aerospace commodities," in the gateway.

“Cargo charters in India as a concept is still in a nascent phase. While, it contributes a small proportion of the volume handled by the Indian airports currently, but as an emerging market, cargo charters holds much promise,’’ SGK Kishore, CEO of operator GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. said.

"Realizing this potential, we have launched the HC3 platform, which will act as an industry forum led by Hyderabad Airport to give the value-added advantage to this segment of the industry and help boost trade and logistics," he added.

The program is also meant to grow the number of cargo charter operations out of the Hyderabad Air Cargo Terminal in support of its goal to become an air charter hub in South Asia.