PIK boosts e-commerce routes from China

China Southern Air Logistics has initiated four weekly 777 freighter flights from Guangzhou, China, to Glasgow, Scotland, with plans to increase the frequency to daily. “We've transformed all that we do in terms of e-commerce, focusing for the last eighteen months on e-commerce,” Peter Barry, vice president of business development for the Americas at Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK), told Cargo Facts at the CNS Partnership Conference 2025 last week in Miami. [caption id="attachment_57288956" align="aligncenter" width="767"] Glasgow Prestwick Airport. (Courtesy/PIK)[/caption] PIK has been growing its “understanding of the e-commerce market, understanding of the players, from the actual shippers themselves, the airlines, ground people, ground handling, the last-mile people,” he said. China Southern Airlines, the parent company of China Southern Air Logistics, landed its first freighter flight to PIK on May 16, flying one of its 777Fs (37314). China Southern Airlines is looking to spin off its cargo and logistics arm and is exploring an initial public offering in Hong Kong, Bloomberg News has reported. In February, the carrier scrapped plans to list the cargo unit in Shanghai. China Southern Airlines took delivery of its 18th 777F (67823) on Feb. 7, making it the largest operator of the type in China. E-commerce to PIK Silk Way West Airlines flew a 777F into PIK on Dec. 4, 2024, with 90 tonnes of cargo, marking the airport’s first dedicated e-commerce flight. The freighter (67454) , chartered by Zhonger Express and Jumen Logistics, departed Silk Way’s hub in Baku, Azerbaijan (GYD), having arrived from Hong Kong (HKG). It carried a consignment for Royal Mail final-mile deliveries. Since then, PIK has been looking to increase its e-commerce traffic, especially from China. The airport appointed a dedicated sales representative in China in September 2024. PIK will soon welcome fourteen weekly freighter flights carrying e-commerce from China, Barry said. He declined to name the participating airlines. “Chinese carriers will be coming in with a variety of aircraft from Guangzhou [CAN] and from Hong Kong,” Barry said. “That's inbound e-commerce. We're going to be shaking the market up.” PIK has invested 2.3 million pounds ($3.1 million) in equipment for ground handling and cold chain in the past twelve months, the airport said. “We transformed how the ground part works,” Barry said. “We’ve got staff coming in. We've got brand-new equipment. We've got technology coming in from the ground agents who are doing the last-mile delivery.” Exports from China, Scotland PIK’s business development team is working to schedule regular e-commerce flights, transporting Scottish whisky and salmon to Asia on the return leg of e-commerce flights, according to PIK. The May 16 e-commerce flight operated by China Southern left PIK loaded with salmon, Barry said. PIK also signed an agreement in November 2024 with Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) to promote cargo flights between the airports. RFD is UPS’ second-largest hub and largest regional package-sorting center. A major draw as PIK establishes new routes and partnerships, according to Barry, is that the airport handles every facet of operations. “We do everything ourselves and we invoice on one invoice,” he said. “So, whether it's for landing fees, whether it's for offload fees, whether it's handling, whether it's fuel, whether it's security, whether it's bringing some meals in — we handle it and it'll come on our invoice. “I don't think anyone in the U.K. can match what we're trying to do,” Barry said. Editor’s note: All amounts have been converted to U.S. dollars.

PIK boosts e-commerce routes from China

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