Air, Freight News


Breakthrough for Teesside Airport as European Cargo to launch China flights

[ March 11, 2026   //   ]

Freighter operator European Cargo has signed a deal for a new operating base at Teesside Airport and to launch five weekly flights from an as yet unnamed airport in China. The service will offer total capacity of up to 375 tonnes of freight a week.

Teesside Airport managing director Phil Forster described it as “a transformational agreement” and “a further major milestone in delivering on our ambition to establish Teesside as a leading UK centre for the aviation and logistics industry”.

He added: “The impact of this deal will be substantial – not only in boosting cargo operations and revenue, but in firmly positioning the airport as a strategic location for aviation, freight and future investment. It underlines our ambition to develop a highly commercially successful airport that plays an essential role in driving the region’s economic future.”

European Cargo’s chief operating officer Iain Edwards added: “By launching five weekly flights to a key strategic trade hub, we are providing 375 tonnes of much-needed weekly capacity and offering a faster, more reliable export route for manufacturers across the North of England.”

The Teesside service will use one of European Cargo’s Airbus A340-600 freighters. The carrier’s main base remains at Bournemouth Airport in the South of England, where it offers an alternative to congested London airports.

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