Newcastle Airport flying high after record cargo haul

Airport bosses are celebrating after cargo volumes took off to record levels.

Newcastle Airport handled 3100 tonnes of cargo in the first half of 2024.

Officials say the haul represents an 87 per cent increase on the same period a year ago and further strengthens the airport’s status as “one of the UK’s key air cargo gateways”.

The increase was driven by Emirates’ daily Dubai service from the region, which transports goods such as automotive parts and pharmaceutical products to the Arabian Peninsula ahead of movement to more than 130 destinations worldwide.

Leon McQuaid, Newcastle Airport’s director of aviation development, said: “This record-breaking result is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work of the airport team and the support of our partners and customers.

“Throughout the year, we have seen businesses increasingly utilise our airport for their global import and export requirements due to our efficient operations, excellent transport links, later drop-off times and faster collection times.

“We take immense pride in this result, and look forward to building on this success and helping drive further growth and investment in the region.”

Praising the airport, John McCabe, North East Chamber of Commerce chief executive, added: “Imports and exports are worth nearly £29 billion to the North East, making them the backbone of the region’s economy.

“The significant increase in the airport’s operations is helping drive investment and create sustainable economic growth for the North East.”