Over 140,000 tonnes – the equivalent weight of 66 London Eyes – of Christmas cargo is expected to fly through Heathrow Airport over the seasonal period.
The airport said new data reveals Christmas trees, snow ploughs and blowers, felt hats, walnuts, rose bushes and electric blankets exports all increase in the anticipation for Christmas.
Heathrow data reveals the role the UK hub airport and biggest port by value plays in transporting essential ingredients for Christmas celebrations across the world.
Based on historical trends from analysis of Seabury cargo data over November and December 2017 reveals a clear spike in the export of certain Christmas essentials ahead of the holidays.
Export data from the period show game meat, with 3950 kg exported in November and December, Rose bushes, with 3650 kg, Venison, with 5432 kg, Felt hats, with 1,485 kg, electric blankets, with 1430 kg and Walnuts, with 1200 kg. Fresh salmon is the most popular export by weight – with almost five million kg (4,619,042 kg) being transported through Heathrow in November to December 2017 to destinations all around the world.
The airport’s cargo data shows over a quarter of Heathrow’s total exports travelled to Christmas customers in the US (26 per cent), with China following next (11 per cent).
Heathrow’s latest Trade Tracker, compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, reveals the total value of trade through Heathrow up to September of this year equalled £108.5 billion – 29 per cent of total UK trade.
Over the course of 2018, Heathrow’s non-EU exports have been increasing in value to total nearly £5 billion per month – most of which (around 95 per cent) is transported via the belly of passenger aircraft.
The report’s analysis of data between July and September shows the value of Heathrow exports to the US and China alone (£5.84 billion) was more than triple the value of exports to the EU (£1.898 billion) highlighting the increasingly important role Heathrow could play when the UK leaves the EU.
Heathrow Airport head of cargo, Nick Platts said: “Many of our passengers don’t realise the amount of cargo that is under their feet when they fly nor the essential role Heathrow plays in getting not only people to Christmas festivities across the world, but also the key ingredients for those celebrations. We are very proud to be making a big contribution to spreading British Christmas cheer around the globe again this year.”
