Civil aviation is in demise, allowing cargo to rule the air

Boxes have replaced bums on seats as aviation endures major shake-up. 

At the start of May, with lockdown measures and travel restrictions in place, the axis of aviation shifted to a very unlikely part of the world; Alaska. 

Far away from the usual traffic hubs of New York or Atlanta, the isolated city of Anchorage - a city with just 291,538 residents - became home to the busiest airport on the entire planet when the Ted Stevens Airport (ANC) beat out the traffic of the likes of LAX, Dubai and Hong Kong.  

“This points to how significantly the global aviation system has changed and highlights the significance of our role in the global economy and fight against the COVID-19 pandemic", the airport tweeted, pointing to the shifting sands brought about by the global crisis. 

Aviation hubs 

For aviation buffs such as myself the change has been noticeable. 

Before Covid-19 ground passenger flights across the world FlightRadar maps would be abuzz with steady streams of traffic coming in and out of Heathrow and Frankfurt, Schiphol and Charles de Gaulle.

All of a sudden Leipzig and East Midlands appeared to have taken their place, and not just within the normal operating hours of commercial aviation - these places are operating around the clock. 

Belly hold 

Part of the pick-up in freight traffic is thanks to a downturn in passenger movements, with East Midlands attributing the boost to its air cargo operation to less “belly-hold” capacity on international flights which would also be carrying goods.

A spokesman said: “While airports in the country have seen air traffic movements reduce by over 90 per cent, East Midlands has continued operating around 60 per cent of all scheduled flights elevating it to one of Europe’s top 10 busiest airports.

“Positioned only a four-hour truck drive to 90 per cent of the population of England and Wales, EMA’s central location means vital supplies flown into the UK can be with those who need them most urgently very soon after landing, wherever they are in the country.”

Manston Airport

Plans to open up a similar hub in Kent were approved this week by the government. 

The dedicated air freight facility will be able to handle at least 10,000 air cargo movements per year whilst also offering passenger, executive travel and aircraft engineering services.

RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP) has committed to investing £300 million to rebuild Manston Airport in the hope it can help the UK trade across the globe and to import vital and time-sensitive goods, including fresh fruit and medical supplies.

With changing winds already impacting the global aviation sector - it might not take long for Manston to overtake some of its local rivals.