Clumsy software holds up airport cargo

Chennai: A few deficiencies in a new software system and shortage of skilled manpower are said to be creating chaos at the Chennai air cargo hub. After drivers of hundreds of trailers and container lorries were forced to wait outside the cargo complex for several hours from Thursday night, about 120 of them declared a strike on Friday. Sources said the strike would continue on Monday until the Airports Authority of India kept its promise of meeting the demands raised by traders on Saturday.
"Air cargo export operations at the airport are at a standstill. The AAI at a meeting with traders promised to facilitate free cargo movement from 9 am on GST road. It was also decided to deploy additional staff to receive consignments. We will withdraw the strike only if the promises are kept," Aircargo Agents Association of India (southern region) chairman N Sivasubramaniam said.
The problem began on Tuesday night when one of the two customs officials at the counter wasn't present. "It caused a delay in clearing consignment documents for export. It's impossible for a single person to handle more than 700 cargo documents," said an official. He also pointed to some difficulties in the new customs system that goes strictly by the procedure for amendments on consignment tags. "Making subsequent amendments is difficult and we are forced to open many parcels for clarification, delaying the process," he added.
Traders said only two officials were present at a counter handling up to 1,000 bills daily.
20/02/11 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Feb 2011, Cargo Feb 2011