Cargo

Cargo Background

Belfast International Airport is one of the most important regional airfreight centres in the UK, handling over 48,000 tonnes of air cargo in 2008. Due to Northern Irelands relative isolation from both mainland UK and Europe, superior airfreight services are vital to enable local business to access both domestic and international markets.

In order to offer commerce and industry across the northern half of Ireland the full benefit of the long runways and unconstrained year-round, 24-hour operations, Belfast International Airport has invested significantly in the provision of modern cargo facilities at the airport.  Existing cargo facilities extend to 130,000 square foot, including warehousing and office space, allied to a dedicated freight apron. There is also a significant available landbank within the airport boundary on which to develop further cargo related facilities.

Currently freight services are provided both on regular scheduled passenger aircraft and through year-round dedicated freighter services.  These are offered predominantly by the major integrators (TNT, DHL and UPS) who have dramatically grown their business from the airport via their UK and European hubs in recent years and who are envisaged by the Aviation White Paper to account for over 50% of the air freight market by 2030.  In addition the airport plays host to a long-established nightly Royal Mail operation and a number of other regular charter operations for which air service capacity is vital.