Heathrow Airport saw a 2.1 per cent year on year (YOY) rise in cargo volumes in the first half of the year, which was driven by increases in freight from emerging markets.
In the first six months of 2015 from January to June, the airport reports it handled 741,847 tonnes, a YOY surge of 2.1 per cent. On a 12-month rolling basis from July 2014 to June 2015, Heathrow has processed 1.5 million tonnes, a YOY uplift of 4.3 per cent.
Over the past year volumes rose by 44 per cent to Mexico, 24.4 per cent to Turkey, 19.7 per cent to Brazil, 11.5 per cent to India, 6.9 per cent to North America and 2.8 per cent to China.
Despite the YOY increase this year, in June the airport saw a 1.9 per cent YOY fall on the same month in 2014, handling 122,964 tonnes.
This was the second consecutive YOY monthly fall at Heathrow after it had posted four months of YOY growth, as in May there was a 0.7 per cent dip to 125,067 tonnes.
June was the third busiest month after May and March, when volumes peaked at 136,842 tonnes, a YOY rise of 2.9 per cent.
In the other months in 2015, in April there was a 2.2 per cent YOY increase to 122,879 tonnes, in February, there was YOY growth of 7.7 per cent to 118,248 tonnes and in January, there was a YOY rise of 3.3 per cent to 115,847 tonnes.
Earlier this month, the UK Airports Commission recommended to the UK Government that Heathrow should have a third runway built. The airport claims expanding it is the only option to help British businesses compete for global growth, and support exports, skills and investment.
Heathrow chief executive officer, John Holland-Kaye, says the Commission ended the debate on where a new runway should be built and it is now a, “binary choice,” for the British Government. “We either expand Heathrow creating jobs, growth, a rebalanced economy and lucrative export routes, or we do nothing and retreat as a nation. The answer is obvious, so let’s get on with it,” Holland-Kaye adds.
