UK trade relies on Heathrow
London Heathrow, the UK’s largest air cargo hub, was forced to temporarily suspend operations following a fire at a nearby power substation. The 48-hour closure disrupted over GBP 543 million worth of goods, according to Parcelhero.
Angus Hind, director at Europa Air & Sea, noted a swift response prevented significant delays: "Cargo was obviously re-routed to other major European airports but within 24hrs we were seeing this arrive on trucks and being checked in", ensuring time-critical shipments, such as Middle Eastern exports ahead of Eid, remained on track.
But he also emphasised the need for additional measures, despite Heathrow being "the best airport for handling British trade". "We're right to question why such critical UK infrastructure is reliant on one single power substation to fuel its operations." (js)