After the pandemic and Brexit, the British International Freight Association says it thought that there was a better understanding of the critical importance of efficient international supply chains.

If the initial media coverage of the incident at Heathrow is anything to go by, clearly that is not the case, with little mention in the news of the huge disruption to UK supply chains.

As expected, most reporting has focused on the immediate impact on flights, terminals and passengers. Regrettably, cargo has been largely overlooked, and the impact will be significant on both import and export movements. 

Supply chains work based on a consistent flow of goods and this has been severely interrupted – for exports the immediate concern will be that airline sheds will fill up rapidly and be unable to accept fresh freight deliveries, which will then affect other parties. For imports, freight will not arrive at or be diverted from its original final destination. 

For BIFA members, a big concern is that most cargo is carried in the bellyholds of passenger aircraft and when flights to and from LHR are restored there will be a considerable influx in demand by passengers for seats to continue their journeys. Potentially this will restrict the capacity to move cargo.

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