AIR CARGO IS TAKING OFF

AIR CARGO has become the lusty infant of the freight business. Although barely one per cent by volume of the total UK exports are sent by air, this represents more than 17 per cent in terms of value. Last year less than half a million tonnes of air cargo passed through London Heathrow Airport. Small in comparison with the Port of London's 48 million tonnes, but supreme in value with about £11 billion. Air cargo now has priority in developed countries for all high‐value exports travelling any reasonable distance. The top of the list are USA, Japan and U.K. and air cargo has given Heathrow the title of Britain's biggest port by trade and the sixth largest in the world for air cargo.