Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport) is geared to witness enhanced cargo capacity as UPS, a global integrated logistics services provider, has launched five-weekly flights, connecting Bengaluru to key freighter markets across the world. With the UPS freighter landing at BLR Airport, it becomes the first Airport in South India to host the three largest global express freighters.

Four weekly Boeing 747-8F UPS flights will connect Bengaluru to western markets and serve imports from eastern markets such as China, Singapore, and Taiwan. Through UPS’s smart global logistics network, businesses in South, Central and West India will gain faster access to markets in Asia as well as Europe, North America, LATAM, and Canada. One weekly flight will directly connect Bengaluru to UPS’s largest international hub in Cologne, Germany for import and export.

UPS has also opened its second dedicated gateway facility in India, at BLR Airport. Spread across an area of more than 15,000 sq ft, the new terminal at the Express Cargo Terminal (ECT) by BLR will enhance connectivity, capacity, and speed-to-market for businesses in South India to grow and connect to international trade opportunities. UPS’s new flight will loop from the company’s international air hub in Cologne, through Thailand, China, and India (Bengaluru) before returning to Germany.

BLR Airport will provide in-house customs clearance and be an important link in providing East to West connectivity for Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) in South India. It will serve key SMB clusters in aerospace, defense, high tech, pharmaceuticals, apparels, and textiles – high fashion garments, automotive and other industries with an extended pick-up time of up to two hours.

“BLR Airport is well positioned towards becoming a cargo hub, offering world-class infrastructure, powered by leading global logistics providers. The new UPS facility will augment the Airport’s overall annual cargo capacity and boost trade for businesses in South India. With express courier shipments gaining greater traction following the exponential growth of e-commerce and expedited cargo, the dedicated UPS gateway facility at BLR Airport is a significant step towards supporting and driving this growth” said Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Strategy Officer at Bangalore International Airport Limited.

“Customers are at the core of our strategy and we’re on a mission to deliver what matters for them. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for the first time, in Financial Year 2022 exports have surpassed $400 billion. This surge demonstrates the robustness of India’s supply chains and the resilience of small businesses. We’re here to support that growth,” said Deepak Shrivastava, UPS Managing Director for Indian Subcontinent.

“The opening of our Bengaluru gateway will bring expanded network capabilities, time efficiencies, and increased market access to SMBs in South India. The Boeing 747-8F, our largest aircraft in the UPS fleet offers increased volume capacity and flexibility to support our customers’ demand.”