Bournemouth Airport launches Cargo First; new cargo handling service
With European Cargo Limited, the airport plays a critical role in facilitating commercial exports from the UK to the US
Andrew Bell, CEO, Regional & City Airports and Steve Gill, Managing Director, Bournemouth Airport
Cargo First, Bournemouth Airport launches its dedicated cargo handling service, with an aim to consolidate its position as the UK's fastest growing cargo airport and one of the country's newest trade linkages.
Bournemouth Airport will have 20,000 tonnes of cargo throughput by the end of March 2022, making it the fastest growing UK cargo hub based on 2020 figures and on the verge of breaking into the UK's top 10 busiest cargo airports. With European Cargo Limited, which currently runs a fleet of wide-body cargo planes, the Airport is playing a critical role in facilitating commercial exports from the UK to the US. It also supplied assistance during the Covid-19 outbreak, shipping hundreds of millions of pieces of personal protective equipment and test kits to the UK.
Andrew Bell, CEO, Regional & City Airports, says, "The launch of Cargo First consolidates the critical work of the team at Bournemouth Airport during the past two years. We quickly recognised the opportunity to stand up a new trade lane and facilitate exports from the UK to the USA, as well as supporting the temporary demand for PPE and test kits.
"Cargo First is well connected to London by road and we can have consignments in the market faster than through hub airports. Additionally, our unique One Team approach means our customers don't have to deal with multiple vendors, giving them greater simplicity, efficiency, and speed-to-market."
Bournemouth Airport is privately owned as part of Regional & City Airports (RCA) and has adequate airfield area for further developments. Cargo First is a strong competitor in the cargo handling business due to its uncongested airspace, open slot availability, and lower tariffs compared to larger hubs.
Steve Gill, Managing Director, Bournemouth Airport, adds, "We are excited to be putting energy and investment into our cargo operation, especially considering we've come from nowhere to be knocking on the door of the top 10 cargo airports in the country. We've already added nearly 100 jobs, and there is potential to create hundreds more over next five years. It is an exceptional achievement, and we look forward to seeing our excellent service enjoyed by many more customers."
The RCA leadership team has set an ambitious development strategy for Cargo First, which includes a multi-million-pound investment in infrastructure over the next year.
