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Cross-Channel shippers may take to the air

[ October 28, 2020   //   ]

Aviation services group and airfreight broker Air Partner says it is preparing for a possible influx of requests as the end of the Brexit transition period approaches.

While truck is currently the mode of choice into Kent via Dover or the Channel Tunnel, from 31 December they will be subject to additional customs protocols with warnings of queues up to 7,000 vehicles-long.

Air Partner expects many businesses may need to explore alternative transport options and could lead to a surge in air freight demand, despite the higher cost. It adds that air freight demand may also rise as an indirect result of fewer trucks being available to businesses as they are held in queues at customs, which may have a knock-on effect beyond the UK.

Air transport for high value goods such as electronics, pharmaceuticals and automotive parts would likely to be the most in demand, but Air Partner says there may even be a distant possibility of some lower value perishable goods, such as fruit and vegetables, needing to be transported by air due to extended road transport times.

Air Partner’s director of group freight , Mike Hill said: “We know from experience that businesses will turn to air freight as a method of transport at times of disrupted supply chains. We have already seen this during the Covid-19 pandemic, when for many organisations, air freight has been the only practical option to ensure their supply chains run and their businesses can continue to operate.

“The UK leaving the Brexit transition period will undoubtedly lead to significant supply chain problems and therefore an increased need for air freight. Until a longer-term solution is found, this may even result in temporary price rises for the end consumers of goods, whether that’s a relatively small percentage increase for electronics or imported vegetables increasing several-fold in price. Regardless, we are absolutely making preparations across our global network to ensure we are placed to handle a possible significant rise in freight demand from January 1st.”

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