Tbilisi International Airport's cargo infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with growing freight volumes, according to Giorgi Zumbadze, Managing Partner at SKYLOG. He told BMG that all three operating cargo terminals become fully loaded during peak periods, resulting in cargo processing delays of four to five days and, in some cases, up to a week.
Zumbadze said the airport's current cargo handling capacity is insufficient to support Georgia's ambitions of becoming a regional air logistics hub. He noted that many transit cargo aircraft currently stop in Georgia without unloading because the airport lacks the infrastructure to process additional shipments efficiently.
He also pointed to regulatory obstacles, explaining that Georgia's customs legislation does not allow aircraft cargo pallets to be transported from the airport to off-site terminals without first unloading them. According to him, this significantly reduces operational flexibility and complicates logistics.
Zumbadze said Kutaisi International Airport could help ease capacity constraints thanks to its ability to accommodate large cargo aircraft. However, he stressed that new cargo terminals should be complemented by improved logistics services and regulatory reforms to unlock Georgia's full potential as a regional cargo hub.
