Glasgow Prestwick Airport, situated along the pivotal Great Circle Route, is capitalising on its strategic location and advanced infrastructure to enhance connectivity between North America, Europe, and beyond.
“Thanks to our prime location on the Great Circle Route, we serve as an ideal stopover point between North America and the Middle East,” Nico Le Roux, Business Development Director at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, explained.
“While we handle freight of all types, the foundation of our Trans-Atlantic business is driven by the aerospace industry. We receive weekly shipments of large aircraft engines, spare parts, and tooling.
“Our local aerospace cluster strongly supports the airport and uses our services whenever possible. We are collaborating with them to attract additional direct flights to the airport.
“Additionally, we are seeing a rise in livestock traffic, including horses and cattle. Our strategic location, along with nearby port facilities, also encourages freight bound for Ireland to transit through our airport.
“The recent surge in e-commerce has also led us to develop one of our warehouses specifically to accommodate this industry.”
Infrastructure advancements
The team at Glasgow Prestwick Airport take pride in having some of the newest and best handling equipment in the UK after a recent £2 million investment. In addition to its ramp handling equipment, the team have recently invested in cold storage facilities and upgraded the Border Control Post.
“Our staff are trained to the highest standards across specific commodities and all classes of dangerous goods, ensuring we are equipped to handle freight of any type,” Le Roux stated.
“We have our own fuel farm at Prestwick, and due to our capability to provide direct refuelling services to all carriers, we are frequently chosen for this purpose. We are one of a few airports in the UK that have a rail supply to our fuel.
“Our 24/7 operating hours are also a significant advantage for carriers. A single phone call or email is all it takes for carriers to arrange refuelling, catering, and crew changes—even in the middle of the night. Additionally, we are well on our way to becoming a provider of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for the industry.”
