The sudden closure of Europe’s busiest airport, London Heathrow, following a fire at a near-by electrical substation had a profound temporary impact on the UK’s supply chains.

However, according to Heathrow-based global airfreight specialist, its efficient return to normal operating within just 48 hours underlines its resilience as Britain’s main airfreight hub.

Heathrow Airport’s unexpected closure disrupted the supply of over £543m of goods, according to Parcelhero. Handling approximately £200bn worth of air cargo every year, which includes perishable foods, books, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, plastics and cosmetics among others, it is estimated that nearly 50 per cent of all UK cargo is handled at Heathrow airport.

While there have been calls for the Government to enhance UK infrastructure resilience by increasing investment in other airports, Angus Hind, Director of Europa Air & Sea, suggests quick thinking, communication and robust internal facilities were the Airport’s ‘saving grace’.

He said: “The incident which caused the cancellation of more than 1,300 flights was a huge worry for us and our customers. Because most airfreight is carried in the underbellies of passenger aircrafts, as an industry we were preparing our own operations for disruption to continue for several days, or at worst weeks.”

Europa’s customers rely on Heathrow Airport for the transportation of time-critical goods to and from every corner of the globe. Due to the company’s own presence in China (Shenzhen & Shanghai), Hong Kong, India and UAE we manage time-critical movements on a door-to-door basis.

Angus continued: “Our biggest concern was getting goods across to the Middle East in time for Eid, which was just nine days after the fire. Because 80 per cent of Europa UK’s airfreight imports and 90 per cent of our exports are handled through Heathrow, we were preparing for the disruption to continue for many days, and potentially weeks, to follow.

“The response by the Heathrow Airport team and airline handling sheds was impressive to say the least. Cargo was obviously re-routed to other major European airports but within 24hrs we were seeing this arrive on trucks and being checked in, minimising the impact on the UK’s supply chain.

“We are right to question why such critical UK infrastructure is reliant on one single power substation to fuel its operations, but I’d still argue that it is currently the best airport for handling British trade and I’m sure additional measures will be looked at.

“In an ideal world, the UK would have a larger airport infrastructure to offer a diverse range of services and reduce our reliance on Heathrow Airport, but this is ultimately dependent on demand. With many regional airports not offering widebody capacity or if they do it is limited to a select few carriers, it makes it very challenging to utilise these facilities and more Is routed via Heathrow.

Europa Air & Sea is the specialist air and sea freight division of Dartford-headquartered Europa Worldwide Group, one of the UK’s largest independent logistics operators. The company has actively campaigned for Government-backed infrastructure investments, most recently including the campaign for the Lower Thames Crossing.

It argues that investments in regional cargo hubs at airports across the UK is a step in the right direction.

Angus concluded: “Regional investments are important; a good example being the Government plans proposed to develop the East Midlands Freeport Project, which will certainly help develop the UK’s parcel transport offering.

“There have also been suggestions as part of the London City Airport Plan to develop both Gatwick and Luton, which could help reduce our supply chain’s reliance on Heathrow targeting airports that have a high passenger demand.

“Finally, there is the contentious issue of a third runway at Heathrow Airport, which continues to face backlash from environmental groups, local residents and local authorities. While London Heathrow, with its already robust cargo facilities, handling sheds and expert teams, remains the only option for our air freight transport, plans for expansion will certainly need exploring.”

Europa Air & Sea combines the expertise of a global provider with the support of local teams in Hong Kong, China (Shanghai and Shenzhen), India and the UAE. It has grown rapidly over the past two years, significantly increasing its branch network in the UK and opening strategically located branches across the world to service its international customer base.