UK Airport Guide

UK Airports — Air Freight & Customs Clearance Services

ASA Logistics provides air freight customs clearance, cargo handling, and UK delivery at all major UK airports — Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, East Midlands, Birmingham, Stansted, and Edinburgh.
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7 UK Airports

Coverage across all major air cargo gateways

All Cargo Types

General, pharma, perishables & express

Pre-lodged Clearance

Declarations submitted before landing

From urgent priority cargo at Heathrow to express parcels at East Midlands, ASA Logistics handles the customs clearance, airport release, and onward UK delivery — so your air freight moves without delay.

Major UK Air Cargo Airports

We provide air freight customs clearance and handling at all the UK's key air cargo gateways.

London Heathrow (LHR)

The UK’s busiest airport and one of the world’s leading air cargo hubs, handling over 1.5 million tonnes of freight per year. Heathrow’s cargo facilities are concentrated in the Heathrow Cargo Centre and numerous specialist handling agents. It is the primary entry point for air freight from North America, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Far East, with direct services to over 200 destinations.

1.5M+ tonnes

Annual cargo

200+

Destinations

90+

Airlines

Nearby logistics hubs: London, Reading, Oxford, Windsor
LHR

London Gatwick (LGW)

The UK’s second busiest airport, with a growing cargo operation handling scheduled belly-hold freight on long-haul services and dedicated freighter flights. Gatwick is particularly active for cargo from the Caribbean, Africa, and South America. Its proximity to the South East makes it a convenient alternative to Heathrow for businesses in Surrey, Kent, and Sussex.

100K+ tonnes

Annual cargo

Americas & Africa

Key routes

30 miles

Distance to London

Nearby logistics hubs: Brighton, Croydon, Guildford
LGW

Manchester Airport (MAN)

The UK’s third largest airport and the primary international gateway for the North of England, serving the Midlands, Yorkshire, and the North West. Manchester handles significant volumes of air freight on scheduled services and is used by importers seeking to avoid the congestion and cost of routing cargo through London. Direct freight services to North America, the Middle East, and Asia.

150K+ tonnes

Annual cargo

North England

Serves

Americas, Middle East

Key routes

Nearby logistics hubs: Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Birmingham

MAN

East Midlands Airport (EMA)

The UK’s busiest pure cargo airport, handling more dedicated freighter movements than any other UK airport. East Midlands is the hub for DHL, UPS, and TNT express parcel networks in the UK, as well as handling a large volume of general air freight. Its central location makes it ideal for onward UK distribution, with excellent motorway links (M1, A42, A50).

UK airport

Largest pure cargo

DHL, UPS, TNT

Express hubs

350K+ tonnes

Annual freight

Nearby logistics hubs: Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Birmingham
EMA

Birmingham Airport (BHX)

Birmingham Airport serves the UK’s second largest city region and handles a range of long-haul freight on belly-hold capacity. It is a growing gateway for businesses in the Midlands seeking to avoid the cost and distance of routing cargo through Heathrow. Direct services to the Middle East (Qatar, Emirates, Etihad) provide significant freight capacity.

20K+ tonnes

Annual freight

Middle East, Asia

Key routes

West Midlands

Serves

Nearby logistics hubs: Coventry, Wolverhampton, Leicester

BHX

London Stansted (STN)

Stansted handles a mix of passenger belly-hold freight and dedicated cargo operations, with strong links to European destinations and increasing long-haul capacity. It serves as an important freight gateway for businesses in East Anglia, Hertfordshire, and North London, and is increasingly used as an overflow for Heathrow-bound cargo during peak periods.

250K+ tonnes

Annual freight

Europe & Americas

Key routes

35 miles

Distance to London

Nearby logistics hubs: Cambridge, Chelmsford, Luton
STN

Edinburgh Airport (EDI)

Scotland’s busiest airport and the primary air freight gateway for Scottish businesses. Edinburgh handles belly-hold freight on long-haul services to North America and the Middle East and is a key entry point for time-sensitive imports into Scotland. ASA Logistics provides customs clearance and onward Scottish delivery for freight arriving at Edinburgh.

In Scotland

Busiest airport

USA, Middle East

Long-haul routes

Belly-hold

Freight type

Nearby logistics hubs: Glasgow, Stirling, Perth

EDI

UK Airport Air Freight — Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about importing via UK airports.

Which UK airport is best for air freight imports?
Heathrow (LHR) handles by far the most air freight volume and has the widest range of direct services from Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. East Midlands (EMA) is the UK’s busiest dedicated cargo airport, ideal for express freight. Manchester (MAN) is the best option for the North of England. The best airport depends on your origin country, cargo type, and UK delivery destination — we’ll advise on the most cost-effective routing.
When your cargo arrives at a UK airport, the airline or handling agent places it in a customs-controlled secure area (the ‘examination station’ or bonded warehouse). Your freight forwarder (ASA Logistics) submits an import customs declaration to HMRC. Once HMRC accepts the declaration and issues a release (usually within hours), the cargo can be collected or delivered. We pre-lodge declarations before the aircraft lands to minimise time in the airport warehouse.
Most UK airport cargo terminals offer a short free storage period (typically 2–3 days for general freight, shorter for perishables). After that, daily storage charges accumulate. It’s essential your customs declaration is submitted and cleared quickly to avoid these costs. ASA Logistics monitors arrivals and submits declarations promptly — often before the flight lands.
Yes. Heathrow, Manchester, and East Midlands all have GDP-certified cool-chain facilities for pharmaceutical imports. We work with specialist handling agents who maintain the required temperature range throughout the cargo process, from aircraft to customs clearance to onward delivery in refrigerated vehicles.
The core documents are: Air Waybill (AWB), Commercial Invoice (stating value, goods description, and Incoterms), Packing List, and your EORI number. For regulated goods you may also need a product-specific certificate, import licence, or phytosanitary certificate. We review all documentation before your cargo departs to flag any issues early.
Express courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS) is door-to-door service for smaller consignments (typically under 70kg per piece), with customs handled by the courier’s own brokers. Air freight is for larger or heavier cargo, shipped as separate consignments through a freight forwarder. Air freight is usually significantly cheaper per kg for larger volumes, while express couriers offer faster door-to-door delivery with simpler tracking.
With a pre-lodged customs declaration and clean documentation, goods can be released within 2–4 hours of aircraft arrival. If HMRC select the consignment for a documentary or physical examination, this typically adds 1–3 days. Urgent releases (e.g. life-saving pharmaceuticals) can be arranged with HMRC — contact our team immediately if you have time-critical cargo.

Need air freight customs clearance at a UK airport?

Our team handles airport clearance, documentation, and UK delivery from every major UK air cargo gateway.
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