New all-cargo air route between the UK and Vietnam via Turkmenistan

New all-cargo air route between the UK and Vietnam via Turkmenistan

TT Meridian, the leading international logistics and trading company specialising in the UK and Vietnam markets, has announced a new all-cargo air route between the UK and Vietnam via Turkmenistan.

The new route operated by Turkmenistan Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkmenistan, is expected to boost bilateral trade activities between the two countries where their free trade agreement came into effect in May 2021.

“TT Meridian as the cargo sales agent handling the UK to Vietnam leg is delighted to announce this new flight route. We believe it will provide exporters, importers and forwarding agents with more choices in addition to the existing direct and indirect services available in the market,” Thai Tran, Managing Director of TT Meridian, said. 

“The new UK-Vietnam all cargo flight is also expected to pave the way for more goods to be air transported between the two countries.” 

TT Meridian’s extensive expertise in international freight forwarding and trade combined with in-depth knowledge of the Vietnam and UK markets provides the company with a unique position in the two countries. The key sectors for TT Meridian include air cargo, consumer products, food and beverages, energy and healthcare.

READ: ICAO backs development of airfreight hub in Turkmenistan

Under the United Kingdom-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), both governments have committed to promoting trade and economic cooperation by reducing or eliminating import tariffs on a wide range of products, removing trade barriers, and creating a more favourable business environment. 

Despite the global recession, there has been a notable growth in movement of physical products from Vietnam to the UK and vice versa. According to the UK Department for Business and Trade, total Vietnam exports to the UK in 2022 amounted to £5.9 billion, an impressive increase of 30.3% against 2021. 

The new all cargo route between the UK and Vietnam via Turkmenistan will use an A330 aircraft that can carry 30 tonnes of capacity.

The fact that the all cargo service can accommodate a high capacity of up to 30 tonnes will also enable shippers to send large shipments that cannot be served by passenger flights. Together with Turkmenistan Airlines, TT Meridian expects to meet the demand of projects or firms that import products in large quantities or weights from either market.

READ: Antonov Airlines flies compressors to Turkmenistan

As of May 2023, the flight departs from London Stansted Airport to Ashgabat International Airport on Wednesday evening, local time, with the transit time approximately four hours. 

It then departs from ASB on Thursday morning and arrives at Noi Bai International Airport on Thursday afternoon local time.

The return flight departs from HAN on Thursday evening and arrives at STN on Wednesday morning the following week. Transit time is 5-6 days.

“Together with Turkmenistan Airlines, Swissport and ACSV (the ground handling agents in London and Hanoi respectively) and other partners, we have operated a few trial flights in the past few weeks. We believe the quick connection time in Turkmenistan, the transit point between the UK and Vietnam, and the competitive air freight will be supportive for forwarding agents, shippers and consignees during this challenging economic time,” Tran added.

“We hope the new route will be a success, paving the way for higher frequency of all cargo flights between the two countries. More frequent flights will add more competitive advantage to Turkmenistan Airlines too.”

Picture of Edward Hardy

Edward Hardy

Having become a journalist after university, Edward Hardy has been a reporter and editor at some of the world's leading publications and news sites. In 2022, he became Air Cargo Week's Editor. Got news to share? Contact me on Edward.Hardy@AirCargoWeek.com

Newsletter

Stay informed. Stay ahead. To get the latest air cargo news and industry trends delivered directly to your inbox, sign up now!

related articles

Global air cargo demand maintains strong momentum in November

Formula E to reduce airfreight emissions by at least 25 percent

Cargolux goes live on cargo.one, CargoAi and WebCargo by Freightos