"Where has all the cargo gone, - long time passing" Enough of Peter, Paul and Mary (who, I hear you yung uns saying?)
However the question remains where has it all gone? OK some of it is being catered for in more available cargo space on some of the new services, i.e. Cathay B777's, Etihad B777's etc but that's not didly squat compared to where we were some 6-8 years ago.
China Cargo
Jett 8 Cargo
Malaysian Cargo
Cathay Pacific Cargo
Dragon Air Cargo
China Airlines Cargo
Great Wall Cargo
Cargolux
Occaisional
MNG Cargo
Atlas Air Cargo
Kalitta Cargo
etc etc
Yes, there has been a world economic meltdown, but GB Ltd is supposedly way ahead in the recovery stakes, and it shows in Stansted and EMA movements.
Let me see. Conspiracy theory.
I see lots of Ad-hoc Cargo flights using East Midlands, AN-12 one offs, Cargolux, Atlas Air (ok some are F.1 related ), good old Saudi C-130's, AN-124's etc etc along with their consolidator ops of UPS and DHL
I see down at Stansted, Cargolux, Qatar cargo, Silkway cargo, who have all started fairly recently and a large Fed Ex & UPS operation.
Who owns these two outstations ?
I would have a bet that Manchester actively dis-courages freight in favour of forwarders trucking it to EMA and Stansted. Notice how Emirates has been rumoured to be starting a freight only service. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if it doesn't happen here but does at EMA!
It appears that our freight stands are required for just parking aircraft and remote ops., because others are taken up with CARS !! (My real pet HATE!!)
I do hope that MA Plc really make me eat my own words and get some of the cargo back through here, but I'm afraid that I see myself on a starvation diet for a long long time.
