Lufthansa Cargo has temporarily suspended freighter services to Mumbai International Airport in India and logistics companies are alerting customers to expect long shipping delays because of congestion.
The cargo airline subsidiary of Lufthansa Group (XETRA: LHA) paused flights to Mumbai from Sept. 20 until the end of the month because of operating problems caused by a large construction project, a Lufthansa Cargo spokesperson said in an email to FreightWaves. Adani Group, which operates Mumbai airport, said delays are the result of a surge in cargo volumes.
The airport operator said in a statement that congestion has led to truck wait times of up to three days.
“Mumbai Airport is currently witnessing its higher cargo volumes, with cargo traffic recording a surge driven by heightened seasonal demand ahead of the festive period and increased movement of time-sensitive shipments through air cargo channels. Additionally, non-standard and odd-sized cargo is being increasingly routed via air, requiring additional processing time, specialised handling, and larger terminal staging space,” it said earlier this month.
When Lufthansa Cargo, which operates 12 Boeing 777 freighters, resumes service to Mumbai on Oct. 1 it will be at the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. Most airlines are in the process of shifting scheduled freighter service to the new airport. Hong Kong-based Cathay Cargo relocated freighter operations to Navi Mumbai on Monday.
Lufthansa Cargo had been operating all-cargo flights six times per week to Mumbai.
The pause in freighter flights has not impacted cargo carried by Lufthansa Group passenger airlines, a Lufthansa Cargo spokesperson said in an email to FreightWaves.
Houston-based Crane Worldwide Logistics said several airlines have temporarily suspended or significantly restricted freighter operations due to airport infrastructure constraints, cargo backlogs and ground handling limitations. FreightWaves was unable to confirm which airlines besides Lufthansa Cargo are being impacted.
International freight forwarder EFL said in a customer notice this month that heavy congestion is causing delays in cargo acceptance, handling and customs clearance. Consolidation of fresh cargo is being restricted, while cleared shipments are taking longer to reach airlines.
“These conditions may affect planned flight connections and cargo cut-off times,” it said. “Customers with shipments moving through Mumbai are advised to allow for additional transit and clearance time while these conditions continue.”
Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.
RELATED STORIES:
AI hardware, Asia demand lift Lufthansa cargo revenue 27%
Is Lufthansa giving up on its Airbus A321 cargo fleet?
FedEx invests $250M for dedicated parcel hub at new Mumbai airport
