Calls for UK to extend night-time flying provisions for air cargo

Supply chain association Logistics UK has called on the country’s government to extend its current provision for night flights until 2024 and beyond.

The call to extend provisions follows the launch of a government consultation on night-time flying regulations on December 2.

Zoe McLernon, multimodal policy manager at Logistics UK, said: “Air cargo services must be allowed to continue operating under the current night flying regime until 2024.

“This is essential to ensure businesses and the public continue to receive the medicine, manufacturing goods, and other products needed to support the nation; nearly half of airfreight by value is flown during the night period to enable time-sensitive, next-day deliveries to arrive in a timely fashion. And, as the industry prepares to transport the Covid-19 vaccine safely and securely, at pace, night services will be vital to support timely, large-scale distribution. ”

The second part of the consultation will consider the post-2024 future national framework for night flight operations.

The government is seeking early views and evidence on policy options for the future of night flights beyond 2024 and aims to publish stage 2 of this consultation in 2022, which will set out firm proposals for the designated airports beyond 2024.

McLernon added: “Recovery for long-haul passenger services is currently uncertain and given that approximately 60% of air cargo goods are carried in the belly hold of passenger airlines, we ask that the government wait until a stable recovery in the passenger sector has taken place before assessing market conditions and then making an evidence-based recommendation.

“Given the financial and time pressures the aviation sector is under, Logistics UK urges government to extend the deadline for the second part of the consultation to ensure there is time for appropriate available resources, including new quantitative economic research, to support informed decision making.”

Currently night-time flying restrictions, which run until October 2022 and can be found here, are in place at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.

Alongside the extension consultation, the Department for Transport (DFT) also proposes taking advantage of the withdrawal of QC4 rated aircraft (for example a Boeing 747-400 on departure) from most scheduled services due to Covid-19, by proposing to ban such aircraft movements between 23:30 and 06:00.

“Maintaining the existing restrictions for an interim period will provide time for complete consideration of the longer term options for managing aviation noise at night at the designated airports,” the DFT said.

“It will also provide time for the impacts of the pandemic on the aviation industry to be better understood and for evidence to emerge that can support longer term policy changes. Alongside this, it will ensure the government complies with legal consultation and notification requirements.”

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Damian Brett

Damian Brett
I have been writing about the freight and logistics industry since 2007 when I joined International Freighting Weekly to cover the shipping sector.After a stint in PR, I have gone on to work for Containerisation International and Lloyds List - where I was editor of container shipping - before joining Air Cargo News in 2015.Contact me on [email protected]