Cargo traffic growth seems to have more than made up for the lukewarm growth in passenger traffic in 2002. Figures released by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) indicate that both international and domestic cargo traffic handled at the airports during April-December 2002 increased 16.2 per cent over the same period in 2001. In comparison, passenger traffic has grown only 9 per cent for the same period.
Aviation analysts said the airlines are latching on to the outbound cargo traffic market as it is not as fickle as passenger traffic.