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 the 88,820 tonnes at the same time last year.

Passenger numbers grew by 7.2 per cent in November at the gateway.

Gatwick chief executive officer, Stewart Wingate continues to push the benefits of building a second runway at Gatwick: “Britain has a clear choice on airport expansion: get on with growth at Gatwick or yet more delays and inertia with an illegal Heathrow scheme that continues to stall.

“This decision has always been about balancing the economic benefits of expansion with the impact on the environment. The simple facts show that Gatwick expansion would give the country the economic benefit it needs at a dramatically lower environmental cost.

“With 12 new long-haul routes starting in 2016 and significant growth across all sectors, from both existing and new airlines, it is clear why expansion at Gatwick needs to go ahead now.”