Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) used the backdrop of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) North Asia Cargo Day in Guangzhou, China, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that seeks to further strengthen trade flows between the UK and China. The agreement focuses on cargo development, operational knowledge sharing and improving network connectivity between the two airports. PIK is already well-acquainted with Chinese business and has steadfastly built up its role as a UK gateway for Asian e-commerce and high value exports, such as Scottish salmon and whisky. It currently handles 15 weekly scheduled flights to and from mainland China, including scheduled services to CAN, alongside three flights per week to Hong Kong.
“The MoU marks the latest step in Prestwick’s strategy to pair inbound Asian e-commerce with outbound premium exports, creating a more balanced, direct, and resilient cargo model for airlines, forwarders, and shippers,” the release underlines.
Jules Matteoni, Executive Director, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, stated: “This agreement gives Prestwick a direct platform to work with one of Asia’s most important cargo gateways at a time when e-commerce growth, capacity pressure, and demand for faster export routes are reshaping trade between China and the United Kingdom. Prestwick’s value is its ability to turn available runway capacity into reliable cargo handling, fast landside access, and direct trade lanes that work in both directions, supporting Asian goods moving into the United Kingdom and Scottish exports moving into high value overseas markets.”
