Air, Feature, Freight News


East Midlands Airport closes in on pandemic-era record

[ April 30, 2026   //   ]

East Midlands Airport (EMA) moved 413,664 tonnes during the 2025/6 financial year (April 2025 to March 2026) – the highest total since the global Covid pandemic when freight peaked 448,000 tonnes.

It said that the 12.5% increase – 46,000 tonnes up on the previous year – represented over a third of all air cargo growth in the UK.

The pandemic supercharged EMA’s cargo operation as it played a crucial role to keep goods including vital pharmaceuticals. Since then, cargo has dipped but remained above pre-pandemic levels. It said the latest results show the airport’s recent cargo growth is bringing it close to its busiest-ever period.

With DHL, UPS and FedEx already using EMA, the welcomed seven new operators in the last half of 2025.

The airport has invested in extra stands for cargo aircraft and developed new larger gatehouses. Handler Swissport has moved into a larger facility to meet increased demand and a new handler, YunExpress, has recently opened a new facility.

Last year, EMA unveiled plans to develop four sites near the runway for cargo operations to meet an expected 54% rise in demand in the coming two decades.

Despite this growth, the number of freight aircraft movements has gone down by 3.1% to just above 60,000 annual movements. This is driven by a drop in shorter flights to Europe, meaning larger aircraft are carrying more freight per flight on longer inter-continental routes.

East Midlands Airport’s commercial director, Adam Andrews said: “We’ve had a bumper year for cargo, bringing us back towards the previously unprecedented levels achieved during the pandemic when the operation was running flat-out. It’s great that we have built up to this being our new normal and is an encouraging sign for our long-term growth plans.

“We’ve been making sure that key players in the sector are aware of our unique proposition. Our strategic central location that gets goods quickly onto the road network, coupled with specialising in cargo-only aircraft and offering 24/7 access, offers certainty for time-critical businesses. This contrasts with other UK airports which mostly carry cargo on passenger planes, leading to slower turnaround times.”

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