Freight interests urge UK government to expand Heathrow

14/05/2013

The UK air freight industry has called on London Heathrow to improve its cargo facilities if it wants to cement its position as the UK’s key hub airport.

As the Airports Commission, the body recently appointed to determine the UK’s future aviation hub, announced the members of its expert panel, air cargo players became increasingly vocal in an attempt to get freight onto the agenda. Despite the Commission noting that in 2011, goods worth £116bn were shipped through the airport between ...

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Kieran Irwin
May 15, 2013 at 4:08 pm
While I can understand, and often agree with these comments, I would direct you to the significant investment currently underway with the development of Dnata village at Heathrow.

This is a single site sub-hub being developed by one handling agent to accomodate a number of airlines.

This facility is designed to give freight forwarders and their clients, and Dnata client airlines, a single site from which to collect import freight and also deliver freight to airlines ready for export.

The size of this investment and this international company should bring synergies of scale to the airfreight industry with for example, cost savings through the ability to utilise vehicles to deliver and then collect freight.

The only real problem Heathrow or similar large scale transit sites have failed to address is the previlant misconception that their freight handling problems are unique; an idea that leads to the recycling of failed methods and ideas at all levels under the premise that a new facility operated like those before it will produce something different in outcomes?

All you have to do to confound this idea is study the problems that engulfed the docks in the 1960’s to see that it’s new ideas and qualified staff that will produce lasting benefits. After all containerisation and deep water docks have revolutionised bulk cargo handling.

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Mark Shaw
May 16, 2013 at 9:40 am
Again we have the same old sob-story; Frankfurt and Amsterdam have more runway capacity than Heathrow. Both are the SOLE airport for their respective cities, Heathrow is not, there is extra capacity at Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and London City. Furthermore, yes, some airlines are increasing passenger capacity by utilising larger aircraft, which, if more airlines did,whilst reducing the number of flights to certain destination,could free up slots for additional flights, including more freight only services.

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Alex Lennane
May 16, 2013 at 9:45 am
Thanks for your comments. I just wanted to add that Frankfurt Hahn may wish to disagree that there is only one airport for Frankfurt…

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- Mark Shaw
  May 17, 2013 at 6:54 am
  I didn’t mention Hahn as it is almost midway between Frankfurt and Luxembourg. You might as well say it is Luxembourg Airport (Ryanair take note). Southend, Lydd (Ashford)and Oxford airports are nearer to London city centre than Hahn is to Frankfurt city centre.
  
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Chris Pocock
May 21, 2013 at 8:49 pm
I worked in the air cargo business at Heathrow for 10 years until 1983. It was unfit for purpose then, and hopelessly inadequate today. No room to expand. Third Runway is nonsense for so many reasons, and a poisoned chalice for politicians. Four new runways to the west? Pie-in-the-sky.
Let’s grasp the nettle and build a true multi-modal airport in the Thames Estuary.

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Len Cartwright
June 05, 2018 at 5:20 pm
Manston airport in Kent is lying dormant it’s capable of taking jumbo jets so forget about a 3rd runway at Heathrow divert all the freight to Manston create employment in Kent.
Southend can take more flights from Europe daily this is underused but wants to expand it has a direct rail service into London and also cross rail is on the same line, come on and wake up MPs this is doable Manston can be operational within 2 years and costs would be minimal compared with runway 3 at Heathrow

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