By Maria Kalamatas — August 22, 2025
LONDON, August 22, 2025 — In Britain’s crowded aviation market, one regional airport is quietly rewriting the rules of air freight. East Midlands Airport, long considered a specialist hub, has reported freight growth close to 20% this year, a figure that sharply contrasts with the modest 2.7% increase at Heathrow.
The numbers highlight a decisive shift: while London’s main gateway struggles with passenger dominance and slot restrictions, East Midlands is carving out a reputation as the country’s true cargo engine.
“We don’t have the glamour of Heathrow, but what we offer is consistency,” remarked James Glover, Head of Cargo Operations at EMA. “Our customers know that goods move faster here, without being squeezed out by passenger traffic.”
Built for logistics, not for tourists
East Midlands has always played a different game. Its location — near Birmingham, Leicester, and Derby — positions it at the heart of the UK’s logistics corridor. Within a four-hour drive, trucks can reach most major British cities. That advantage, coupled with dedicated night operations, has made it the preferred hub for DHL, UPS, and FedEx, all of which run major European operations out of EMA.
Direct links with Asia
A second factor driving growth is the strengthening of East Midlands’ connections with China. New cargo services from Shenzhen and Guangzhou began operating earlier this year, reducing transit times for critical shipments such as electronics, automotive components, and medical supplies.
According to Clare Middleton, analyst at Transport Intelligence, the trend is clear: “Secondary airports are capturing traffic that larger hubs can no longer absorb. East Midlands has been exceptionally quick to position itself as a reliable alternative.”
A freeport preparing for scale
The airport’s momentum is reinforced by the development of the East Midlands Freeport, which promises tax breaks, simplified customs procedures, and a wave of new distribution facilities. Logistics giants including Amazon and DHL have already expanded warehouse capacity around the site, betting on long-term growth in e-commerce and just-in-time supply chains.
A reshaping of UK air freight
Industry observers believe EMA could be handling half a million tonnes of cargo annually by 2027, narrowing the gap with Heathrow and Gatwick. For shippers, the appeal lies not only in speed but also in predictability — a commodity increasingly scarce in global supply chains.
East Midlands, once seen as a regional outpost, is now emerging as a central node in Britain’s freight map. And as global trade flows continue to shift, the quiet airport in the Midlands may prove to be the UK’s most important logistics story of the decade.
