East Midlands Airport has reported a significant growth in air cargo driven by people’s increasing reliance on ecommerce during the pandemic and a reduction in passenger flights.
Over the summer months, traditionally the quieter time of year for air cargo, volumes at EMA were significantly up on the same time last year. In July and August, EMA saw an increase of 21.2 per cent and 18.5 per cent respectively.
The shift towards dedicated air cargo operations is also being driven by the lack of traditional ‘belly hold’ operations, where goods are transported in the baggage hold of passenger aircraft.
With many airlines scaling back long-haul passenger operations in recent months, the availability of belly hold capacity has reduced significantly to key markets, especially on popular routes to the US.
During June, July and August there has been an average of 60 additional cargo flights to and from East Midlands Airport and the US including a 120 per cent increase in the volume of goods travelling between EMA and JFK airport in New York.
Group aviation director for MAG Aboudy Nasser said: “The last few months have seen a seismic shift in the way we live our lives.
“While much has been made of the changes to the way people travel, behind the scenes our airports have been leading the charge in helping the logistics sector adapt to rising demand for dedicated air cargo and changes in the way goods are transported.
“This underlines the vital role MAG airports play in supporting the UK economy as it gets back on its feet, and the critical role of air cargo in moving essential products quickly across the globe.
“We look forward to continuing our work with this important sector as it prepares itself for ever-increasing demand in the months ahead.”
Scott Knowles, chief executive of the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, added: “The East Midlands has, for centuries, been the epicentre of UK trade. Massively important to all of this is East Midlands Airport which sits at the heart of the UK’s thriving logistics sector.
“The airport is not only an important asset in its own right, but its impact is felt across the whole of the East Midlands, and beyond.
“Thousands of people are employed in businesses that support the airport’s operation and thousands more jobs are being created in neighbouring developments.
“As we all look forward to a post-Covid revival, the sectors that have continued to flourish during the pandemic are the ones around which a new economy will be built.
“The airport, and the logistics operations it facilitates, will be key to our region’s recovery.”
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