Global freight company FedEx is boosting its capacity on the busy US-UK trade corridor with the addition of four times a week flights between East Midlands Airport (EMA) and Indianapolis (IND).
Another boost for the UK’s key e-commerce hub airport
FedEx will operate a Boeing 777F on the 3924 mile (6314 kilometer) route and add approximately 626,000 pounds (28.4 tonnes) of capacity per week to FedEx transatlantic network.
The new flights will complement FedEx’s existing three transatlantic flights out of the UK. The flights will originate at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport in Paris and hop across to East Midlands before continuing onto Indianapolis.
“The UK is the fourth largest e-commerce market in the world, and the pandemic has driven even higher demand for online goods, including into the US,” said FedEx’s Edward Clarke. “It also gives a boost to our operations in the Midlands, which is a major logistics center with outstanding connectivity across the UK.”
Located just northeast of Birmingham, East Midlands Airport is the UK’s top e-commerce cargo gateway. The airport’s strategic location serves logistics companies well, with ample warehouse facilities, motorways, ports, and railways nearby.
FedEx also points out the airport’s location puts it within a four-hour drive of 90% of the UK’s population – and every minute counts with FedEx offering overnight delivery on the US-UK sector.
“FedEx’s decision to route its new transatlantic service through EMA is a ringing endorsement of this airport’s important role as a vital hub for facilitating global trade between the UK and its key partners,” said Clare James, Managing Director of East Midlands Airport.
“We’re delighted to welcome FedEx’s additional business, which will help sustain jobs and investment at the airport. We look forward to working with FedEx to build on this latest development and identify further opportunities to grow their operation here in the future.”
Big FedEx capacity increases in Europe this winter
East Midlands Airport says they handle over 440,000 tonnes of goods each year and serve as a hub for DHL, UPS, FedEx, and Royal Mail. The airport offers five airside cargo terminals that provide over 650,000 square feet of undercover cargo processing area, over two million square feet of dedicated cargo apron and ramp space with simultaneous handling capability for six B747Fs, and interline non-stop cargo connections to major cities throughout Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
The new FedEx UK-US flights supplement previous additional flights and capacity increases FedEx has recently announced in the UK and Europe. Over the 2021/22 winter, FedEx has put extra flights on the Charles de Gaulle-Kiev, Charles de Gaulle-Manchester, and Charles de Gaulle-Stockholm routes.
FedEx has also upsized its operating aircraft on the Charles de Gaulle-Shannon, Charles de Gaulle-Prague Timisoara, Charles de Gaulle-Venice, and Charles de Gaulle-Katowice Warsaw routes this winter.
FedEx reaps the benefits of strong air cargo demand
FedEx is now offering over 1,250 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity around Europe and on its transatlantic routes.
Memphis-based cargo giant continues to reap the benefits of strong global demand for air cargo. FedEx says air cargo demand is up around 8% compared to pre-COVID levels. Continuing supply chain challenges, including in the sea freight sector, are also leading to higher demands for air cargo capacity as businesses struggle to keep stock levels up.
FedEx adds their new flights out of East Midlands Airport are a “significant investment for FedEx in Europe.”
