One Air, the British cargo airline, has commenced operations at East Midlands Airport (EMA). The central UK airport will now be a regular origin and destination point for One Air’s Boeing 747-400 freighter services connecting Asia and Europe as well as for ad hoc global charter services.

“East Midlands Airport has a lot of important plus points which make it attractive for all-cargo operations, including the availability of slots and fewer restrictions around night flying compared to other airports. EMA also has a very understanding and progressive attitude towards freighter operators. As a growing British airline, we look forward to establishing our presence at EMA and supporting our freight forwarding, logistics and charter clients moving goods to and from the UK,” said Chris Hope, One Air’s Chief Operating Officer.

One Air’s first flight into East Midlands arrived from Hong Kong at the weekend with a 105-tonne payload.

EMA boasts one-stop connections to 185 of the world’s largest cities, including New York, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris, and Mumbai, and is home to the UK’s most important express air freight hub. It enables cargo operators and their clients to move goods quickly and efficiently around the globe. The airport handles the equivalent of more than one million packages every night, and its cargo operation provides vital support to regional businesses, including those in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and automotive sectors, contributing around £443 million GVA to the regional economy.

EMA’s Commercial Director, Chris Lane, added: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome One Air to East Midlands Airport. They bolster what is already a highly successful, nationally significant cargo operation which benefits from a strategic central location, fewer restrictions than many other airports, and a team who are totally dedicated to providing a top-class service. We hope this is the start of a long-standing partnership with One Air to help us continue to provide seamless trade that powers the UK.”