The Freight Transport Association has said that air freight is crucial to the UK’s economy, in its submission to the Airports Commission’s discussion paper, Aviation Connectivity and the Economy.
According to the association, the aviation sector must be able to expand to meet demand from both passengers and freight as it is vital to the country’s economy, because it provides a service that the rest of the UK relies upon to be competitive in the global market.
The FTA also said that extra capacity is needed within the industry, either from new airport development or through the expansion of existing London airports.
It also stated that Heathrow, which carries more freight each year than all other UK airports put together, lacks the availability of slots, which is reducing the range of destinations served, so it should be permitted to expand its existing operations to meet demand.
“The UK economy would benefit from an improved quality of global hubs located in the UK, said Chris MacRae, FTA policy manager.
“The greater the range of direct destinations, the easier it is to trade with other parts of the world. The UK’s international competitiveness is likely to be impaired unless current airport capacity is expanded to cater for growth in international trade.”
