Heathrow is calling on airlines and freight companies to take advantage of the airport’s quieter schedule so that the aviation industry utilise its resources in the fight against COVID-19.
As aviation associations, including TIACA and IATA, have emphasised the airfreight industry will be relied on in the current climate to keep vital supply lines open and help transport time critical and temperature sensitive goods, such as medical supplies and food across the UK.
During normal operations, Heathrow is the UK’s largest port by value, with 34% of the country’s cargo passing through the airport. Some 95% of this cargo is moved in the belly hold of passenger planes, which has been dramatically reduced due to reactionary travel restrictions and fleet groundings to the coronavirus crisis.
Heathrow is also taking a number of steps to assist the airline industry during this challenging time. These steps include supporting slot alleviation – a relaxation of the rules requiring airlines to use their slots to keep them, offering free parking to aircraft grounded as a result of COVID-19 and bringing forward growth incentive payments which have helped to increase cash flow for airlines during a challenging time for the sector.
Before becoming a civilian airport in 1946, Heathrow was one of the country’s military airfields. The aerodrome served military aircraft bound for the Far East, helping to transport troops, supplies and care packages. Now that the country works to battle the coronavirus pandemic, the airport has stated that “Heathrow will support the nation once again by helping the country to receive testing kits, protection equipment and crucial machinery such as respirators, as the UK works to overcome the outbreak.”
“This is an unprecedented time for the international community, with COVID-19 requiring us all to work together, adapt and adopt extraordinary measures to quell the spread of this virus. For the first time in a decade, our airport has additional capacity in its schedule, capacity which we’ve begun to see used to help push vital supplies across the globe to help support frontline teams in the battle against this pandemic,” commented John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow CEO.
“We stand ready to support the country through this crisis. Our intention is to remain open at all times to serve those passenger flights that will continue to operate. And as the UK’s biggest port, we will temporarily increase the number of dedicated cargo flights. These will bring in vital supplies of food and medical equipment to help Britain weather this storm.”
Heathrow is calling on airlines and freight companies to utilise the airport’s quieter schedule so that the aviation industry can play its part in the economic and social fight against Covid-19.
Airfreight is needed in the current climate to keep vital supply lines open and help transport time critical and temperature sensitive goods, such as medical supplies and food across the UK.
During normal operations, Heathrow is the UK’s largest port by value, with 34% of the country’s cargo passing through the airport. Some 95% of this cargo is moved in the belly hold of passenger planes, which has been dramatically reduced due to reactionary travel restrictions and fleet groundings to the coronavirus crisis.
Heathrow is also taking a number of steps to assist the airline industry during this challenging time. These steps include supporting slot alleviation – a relaxation of the rules requiring airlines to use their slots to keep them, offering free parking to aircraft grounded as a result of Covid-19 and bringing forward growth incentive payments which have helped to increase cash flow for airlines during a challenging time for the sector.
Before becoming a civilian airport in 1946, Heathrow was one of the country’s military airfields. The aerodrome served military aircraft bound for the Far East, helping to transport troops, supplies and care packages. Now that the country works to battle the coronavirus pandemic, the airport will support the nation once again by helping the country to receive testing kits, protection equipment and crucial machinery such as respirators, as the UK works to overcome the outbreak.
“This is an unprecedented time for the international community, with COVID-19 requiring us all to work together, adapt and adopt extraordinary measures to quell the spread of this virus. For the first time in a decade, our airport has additional capacity in its schedule, capacity which we’ve begun to see used to help push vital supplies across the globe to help support frontline teams in the battle against this pandemic,” commented John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow CEO.
“We stand ready to support the country through this crisis. Our intention is to remain open at all times to serve those passenger flights that will continue to operate. And as the UK’s biggest port, we will temporarily increase the number of dedicated cargo flights. These will bring in vital supplies of food and medical equipment to help Britain weather this storm.”
