Increasing long-haul connections have once again boosted cargo tonnage at London Gatwick Airport which increased 1.6 per cent in October.
The airport processed 10,481 tonnes in the month, a year-on-year (YOY) rise of 1.6 per cent on the 10,316 tonnes in October 2017. On a moving annual basis tonnage is up YOY by 21.9 per cent over the last 12 months to 112,735 tonnes.
Tonnage is set to get another lift later this year as the airport will welcome a new thrice weekly service to Shanghai with China Eastern Airlines in December 2018. This adds to Gatwick’s growing route network to this region, which already includes Hong Kong, Chengdu and Taipei.
Last month, Gatwick Airport published its draft master plan, which set out the airport’s future vision and looking ahead to the early 2030.
The gateway is looking use new technology to increase capacity on its main runway, bring an existing standby runway into routine use by the mid-2020s and safeguard land for potential development of an additional runway.
London Gatwick chief executive officer, Stewart Wingate said Gatwick continues to “showcase the vital role it plays for the country”.
He added: “Gatwick’s growth is vital for the future prosperity of Britain and the country’s post-Brexit future – and our growing global connections are needed more than ever. This December our latest long-haul route will begin, as we open up yet further connections to Asia, with China Eastern starting their new service to Shanghai.”
