Trichy Airport Sees Surge In International Cargo

In a major strategic development, the airport has commissioned its first transhipment facility, which became operational on 13 October 2025. The facility enables cargo transfers between aircraft at an intermediate hub, allowing consignments to be consolidated and routed to multiple destinations. This system helps reduce freight costs through optimised load management and improves connectivity for city pairs without direct flight services, particularly benefiting tier-2 and tier-3 cities such as Tiruchirappalli.

To meet rising domestic cargo demand, the airport is planning a full-scale domestic cargo terminal with a projected handling capacity of around 200 metric tonnes per month. The proposed terminal will be integrated with the existing international cargo complex and supported by strong multimodal connectivity, including access to NH-83, NH-38 and proximity to major ports.

The International Courier Facility, notified in 2022 but previously non-operational, is set to be activated under a Public-Private Partnership framework through an Operations and Maintenance contract. Once operational, the facility will enable businesses and individuals in the region to dispatch time-sensitive documents and parcels to destinations across Southeast Asia and Gulf countries, offering faster transit times and cost-effective alternatives to indirect routing via major metropolitan hubs.

The launch of the transhipment facility, sustained growth in international cargo volumes, plans for a domestic cargo terminal and the operationalisation of courier services collectively signal Tiruchirappalli International Airport’s transformation into a comprehensive cargo hub, strengthening logistics infrastructure across central and southern India.