Gatwick warns of ‘Groundhog Day’ if Heathrow gets runway nod

Gatwick Airport says the choice before the UK Government on airport expansion is stark – “it’s either growth and certainty with Gatwick or Groundhog Day at Heathrow”. The government is reportedly set to make a decision tomorrow on whether Gatwick gets a second runway or Heathrow Airport a third runway. Heathrow is rumoured to be set […]

Luxury cars drive growth at Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport has seen cargo volumes pass the 100,000 tonne mark again during the 2015/16 financial year, with valuable products such as luxury cars helping drive the growth. During the year, Manchester handled 103,437 tonnes of cargo, the first time since 2011/12 that the figure has been above 100,000. Manchester Airport handled £6 billion ($8.7 […]

CAA backs Belfast airspace reclassification

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has given the go-ahead for the reclassification of the airspace over Belfast. The change, which comes into effect from 26 May 2016, will see all airspace within the Belfast Terminal Manoeuvring Area (TMA) change from a mix of Class E and D controlled airspace to solely Class D. The newly simplified […]

IATA WCS: Heathrow launches WebPortal to reduce freight trucks emissions

Heathrow Airport has revealed new plans for a WebPortal aimed at consolidating freight loads, and decreasing the amount of trucks and emissions on roads around the airport. Encouraging freight company partners to operate sustainably is one of ten priorities Heathrow has outlined for this year in its new Blueprint to Reduce Emissions, which was also […]

Emergency landing made in Liverpool by an Airbus Beluga

An Airbus Beluga cargo aircraft was forced into an emergency landing yesterday at Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport after developing a problem with its wing flaps. While heading to Hawarden Airport in North Wales during the early evening, the Airbus A300 had to land early after the suspected wing issue. In a statement to Air Cargo […]

Heathrow Airport posts January cargo surge

Heathrow Airport saw a surge of 2.9 per cent in cargo volumes in January – which was driven by Mexico and China, both up 28 per cent and Turkey, up 16 per cent. The airport handled 119,214 tonnes in the month. On a 12-month rolling basis freight is down 0.2 per cent, and 1.5 million […]

Volumes continue to fall at Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport’s cargo tonnage volumes continue to slide, which is in stark contrast to passenger traffic that rises fast again. In January, the gateway handled 5,231 tonnes of freight, a fall of 9.7 per cent from the 5,796 tonnes in the same month last year. The moving annual total is even more significant, and cargo […]

MAG sees 4.3% growth in cargo across its airports in 2015

The Manchester Airports Group (MAG) saw strong cargo growth in 2015 across its UK gateways, handling an additional 27,720 tonnes compared with 2014, which was a 4.3% per cent increase. Volumes increased by 4.5 per cent in 2015 at East Midlands Airport, the UK’s largest airport for dedicated cargo, which had its busiest ever month for […]

Cargo falls at Gatwick in 2015 by 17.3%

Gatwick Airport’s cargo volumes fell by a substantial 17.3 per cent in 2015, compared to the previous 12 months. The gateway handled 73,411 tonnes, which was a significant decline on the 88,737 tonnes that Gatwick handled in 2014. December continued the monthly trend last year of significant falls and cargo volumes fell by 11.4 per cent […]

Gatwick Airport launches community noise lab

Gatwick Airport has launched the UK’s first community noise lab – an interactive online tool designed to help local people more accurately monitor aircraft noise. The gateway says the noise lab is modelled on a similar tool introduced by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – the first of its kind in the world – and provides members of […]

Heathrow Airport chairman to step down next year

Heathrow Airport chairman Sir Nigel Rudd will be stepping down from his role in September 2016 after nine years and three terms at the helm – in line with the gateway’s standard board practice. The airport says during his tenure, Heathrow has gone through significant change with Sir Nigel guiding and advising the Heathrow Board – […]

Trial to cut Heathrow holding times enters operational service

A trial project to cut aircraft holding times at Heathrow Airport has been so successful it has now entered permanent operational service. Known as cross-border arrivals management – or XMAN – the procedure sees NATS air traffic controllers in the UK working with those in the surrounding airspace in France, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands to […]

Tonnage just keeps heading south at Gatwick

Cargo tonnage levels continue to head south at Gatwick Airport in stark contrast to passenger numbers, which carry on moving north. In November, tonnage fell by 11.2 per cent compared to the same month last year. For the first 11 months of the year, Gatwick has handled 74,247 tonnes, a significant 16.4 per cent drop on […]

Heathrow sure it can deliver within environmental limits

Heathrow Airport says it has full confidence that expansion at the hub can be delivered within environmental limits and says it will work with the UK government to deliver a third runway. The gateway’s plan involves building a new 3,500 metre runway about two miles Northwest of its two runways, at an estimated cost of £18.6 billion […]

Significance of cargo at Heathrow only just realised

Heathrow Airport chief executive officer John Holland-Kaye says the gateway “didn’t understand the significance of cargo” until it started working in the Airports Commission process. He was speaking at the Airport Operators Association’s (AOA) UK Aviation Conference at the Hilton Metropole in London on Tuesday, where he set out why he feels the government should […]

Cargo down at Gatwick, but revenue up

Gatwick Airport’s cargo figures continue to fall and the gateway saw a 17.2 per cent fall in October compared to the same month last year. The UK airport processed 6,355 tonnes of freight, down on the 7,678 tonnes in October 2014. In the last 12 months cargo tonnage has fallen 15.2 per cent to 75,153 […]

Cargo mission for Heathrow’s Platts

Heathrow Airport’s head of cargo Nick Platts says he is “on a mission” to make it Europe’s premier airfreight hub – as the gateway’s pivotal role to the UK economy has again been highlighted. The gateway has big freight plans and unveiled plans earlier this month to spend £180 million ($273 million) on upgrades. Export data, […]

Exports from Heathrow top £48 billion

Heathrow Airport’s pivotal role in the UK economy has been revealed in data released to the gateway by UK Customs, which shows £48 billion ($72.9 billion) worth of British goods were exported through the airport between August 2014 and July 2015. This represents a 9.7 per cent increase on the previous 12 months, and makes […]