Air, Freight News


Scots salmon take to the air from Prestwick

[ September 1, 2025   //   ]

Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) has launched seafood export service to China following investment in equipment and the creation of a dedicated cool chain team.

The airport has installed high-volume metal detectors, temperature exposure and tracking systems, and four 87-tonne capacity chillers in a dedicated facility.

Prestwick is close to local fish farms and says it can achieve an 18-hour shelf life extension by reducing transit times, as well as lower trucking costs, and reductions in CO2 emissions.

Scottish salmon exports to China reached £76 million last year, a 60% increase compared to the previous year, with just over 8,175 tonnes exported, making China the third-largest market for Scottish salmon in 2024.

Chief executive of Salmon Scotland, Tavish Scott, said: “The new dedicated service from Glasgow Prestwick Airport strengthens our ability to meet growing demand in China and across Asia, while supporting jobs and communities in Scotland’s coastal and rural areas. This investment is a welcome boost to our sector and will support Scotland’s already exemplary export performance.”

Glasgow Prestwick Airport chief executive, Ian Forgie, added: “PIK’s facilities make it an attractive destination for Chinese freighters, and the benefits of eight weekly flights to Asia make exporting perishables from PIK, rather than from London airports, an easy decision for the Scottish seafood industry to make.”

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