• Manohar International Airport (MIA) handled its first-ever IL-76 charter flight for India’s National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, transporting essential expedition supplies to Antarctica via Cape Town.
• The IL-76 “Gajraj,” a heavy-lift strategic airlifter, marks the first of its kind to depart from MIA.
• This mission is the airport’s third specialized cargo charter in two years, reinforcing GMR Goa Air Cargo’s reputation for handling complex and critical freight operations.

Manohar International Airport (MIA), developed and operated by GMR Goa International Airport Ltd. (GGIAL) has handled its first ever expedition non-scheduled charter movement for NCPOR ( National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Vasco Goa ).  This charter flight an IL76 is carrying essential expedition material like medicines, food supplies and other necessary general commodities to Antarctica via Cape Town (South Africa) for the ongoing research in Polar and Ocean Sciences at Antarctica expedition.

This is the first time an IL-76 has taken off from Manohar International Airport. IL 76 nicknamed the “Gajraj” is a large, Soviet-designed, four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter known for its heavy-lift capability, it serves as a primary transport aircraft, carrying cargo, vehicles, and personnel to remote locations.

This charter movement is the third specialised cargo charter handled by GMR Goa Air Cargo at Manohar international airport within last the last two years.