Air China adds more flights from Beijing, Freight investment and airport strategy brings hundreds of jobs to Ayrshire

Doug Maclean – Aviation Editor

Air China Cargo started services direct from Beijing to Prestwick on 2nd June.

Image - Eddie Wallace

The Boeing 777 freighters landed 3 times a week during its first month of operations into Scotland. With a capacity of over 100 tonnes per aeroplane goods from China are arriving into the specially adapted warehouse at Prestwick airport at the rate of over 1,000 tonnes per month from Air China Cargo alone.

Avia Updates reported on the start of the Air China service by quoting Prestwick’s CEO Ian Forgie.

“This really is an endorsement of Prestwick’s exceptional cargo handling capabilities. We’re excited to see the opportunities this creates for Scottish exporters.”

After only one month of operation Air China has already increased the flight frequency from 3 to 4 flights per week. There are plans to further increase the number of services to daily and even double daily.

In addition China Southern Air Logistics are also operating Boeing 777 freighters direct to and from Guangzhou in eastern China. They started their services on 16th May at 4 flights per week.

Prestwick has invested over £2.2 million in new cargo handling equipment and storage facilities. 55 jobs were expected to be created in the first instance but on checking today Ayrshire Daily News is delighted to report that the number of new staff at Prestwick has already reached 140 and will soon reach 200.

The jobs range across all aspects of freight handling. Warehouse operatives, supervisors, apron staff and skilled freight handling jobs are being created or increased in numbers. A new freight warehouse manager is among the senior posts which have come from this smart investment by the Prestwick board.

At 8 flights per week, and growing, Prestwick has struck out on a path that few expected. One of those few was Business Development Director Nico Le Roux. A year ago this week we asked Nico to explain what the new agreement was with Royal Mail to handle e commerce flights. He explained what they had planned for their new warehouse operation and how e commerce flights were expected to be attracted to Prestwick.

Mr Le Roux was right. The new China services not only provide quick and frequent direct flights but they stop the need for lengthy road trucking from Scotland to airports in the south of England. The rapid customs clearance and loading process at Prestwick also means that perishable exports such as Scottish salmon gets on sale very quickly in its destination Chinese markets.

Air China brought with them operational and commercial staff who are now based at Prestwick. This indicates that the National Carrier of China sees Prestwick as a long-term hub for developing the trade between the UK and China.

The logistics of handling 2 flights per day to China seems quite a stretch for an airport that has had to fight for every new service and airline over many decades. 2 days ago we watched with interest as both fully laden China Southern and Air China aircraft landed at Prestwick in quick succession.

Not long afterwards a Cargolux Boeing 747 arrived from Houston, Texas. Could Prestwick achieve the required short turn round for 3 huge freight aircraft at the same time? Not only did they handle the 3 flights but all met their challenging turn round times as Team Prestwick rose to the challenge once again.

It is our belief that this is just the start of something very big for Prestwick airport, Ayrshire and Scotland. Ayrshire Daily News will be there to watch and report the remarkable stories that are becoming routine at Prestwick – The beating Heart of Scottish Aviation.