Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd. (AISATS), India’s premier airport services company, commences trial operations of India’s first integrated on-airport perishable cargo handling centre, AISATS COOLPORT, at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB). The state-of-the-art, 11,000 square metre facility will meet the ever-increasing demands and handling requirements of temperature-sensitive cargo and will further enhance the State of Karnataka’s status as the pharmaceutical and perishables hub of India.
This announcement by AISATS, a joint venture between Air India and SATS, underscores the commitment by SATS to create value for airline customers, partners and shareholders through organic growth, regional expansion and growing adjacent businesses.
AISATS COOLPORT, with a handling capacity of 40,000 tonnes per annum, will cater to an extensive range of perishable commodities such as pharmaceutical products, fruits, vegetables, poultry, seafood and flowers. It is customised to offer the most comprehensive cold storage solutions with 17 dedicated cold rooms with adjustable temperatures ranging from – 25OC to + 25OC. Designed as a “One Stop Shop” to facilitate the Import and Export processes of the air cargo industry, the integrated facility will house a state-of-the-art Drug Controller lab as well as a Plant Quarantine Inspection & Certification office. It will be supplemented by temperature-controlled queue lanes for unitised shipments and Cool Trollies to ensure the integrity of the cold chain from AISATS COOLPORT to the aircraft and vice versa.
This expansion in India with AISATS COOLPORT leverages the core expertise of SATS in cargo handling and will provide premium, high quality, value-added solutions to aviation customers. It helps to fulfil the vision of SATS to feed and connect Asia through building tighter connected corridors through its network.