The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s review of the 1991 Traffic Distribution Rules offers an important opportunity to examine whether the current framework still reflects the realities of today’s aviation market, according to Logistics UK.
The organisation says the CAA should take an open-minded approach as it reassesses the rules, with particular attention to the role airfreight plays in supporting supply chains and economic growth.
The UK’s logistics system depends on access to both dedicated freighter capacity and bellyhold space on passenger services. For that reason, any review needs to strike the right balance between the interests of cargo operators, airport infrastructure and customer demand.
The aviation market has changed markedly since the TDRs were introduced more than three decades ago. Air cargo is now more deeply integrated into global supply chains, express and time-critical shipments have become more important, ownership structures at London airports have evolved, and slot allocation has taken on greater significance.
Against that backdrop, Logistics UK argues that reviewing the practical effects of the TDRs is both appropriate and overdue. The group also believes the sector would benefit from a mechanism that ensures similar reviews take place regularly in future, rather than waiting decades between reassessments.
Congestion remains a major operational challenge for dedicated freighter operators, especially when demand is time-sensitive or triggered by short-term market disruptions. At the same time, all-cargo operators have long argued that the TDRs restrict the growth of freighter activity at congested airports.
For Logistics UK, this is precisely why the review matters. The current regulatory framework must be able to keep pace with market developments while preserving enough operational flexibility to support sustainable expansion across the sector.
At the same time, the organisation warns against reforms that could damage bellyhold connectivity. UK exporters and logistics providers rely heavily on passenger services operating from Heathrow and Gatwick, and any changes to the rules must avoid unintended consequences for those important trade links.
The review, it says, should not simply ask whether the existing TDRs are still achieving their original aims, but also whether other mechanisms, such as revised slot allocation practices, might deliver better results while being more closely aligned with today’s market needs.
Logistics UK is urging the CAA to examine the impact of the TDRs not only on passenger services, but also on air cargo capacity, supply chain resilience and the wider trading economy. A more flexible approach to reform, it argues, will be the best way to secure a fair outcome for all stakeholders.
The organisation stresses that this should not become a debate about choosing between passenger and cargo interests. The real issue is whether the regulatory tools in place are proportionate, transparent and suited to modern conditions.
Airfreight remains a critical service, and its continued growth depends on predictability and operational stability. Any reforms emerging from the consultation process, Logistics UK says, must therefore ensure constrained airport capacity is used in a way that treats both passenger and cargo services fairly.
