The restructuring process will set Menzies Aviation back £3 million, but Boyd said the company remains “very committed” to growing its cargo operations at the remaining airports.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about Menzies Aviation’s freight-handling business at Birmingham, East Midlands, Glasgow and Manchester airports. Boyd explained to Air Cargo World that the company’s problems stemmed from a variety of factors, including sluggish cargo volumes and yield diminution.
Still, the loss of Menzies Aviation’s regional freight-handling contract with Lufthansa hurt business the most. After that, Boyd said, “We had to make some very tough decisions in relation to our UK regional cargo business.”
The company will close shop at East Midlands Airport on July 31, with Menzies Aviation’s freight-handling operations in Manchester and Birmingham ceasing one month later. (A closing date for operations at Glasgow wasn’t provided.) The company has subsequently reviewed its land-side trucking services and concluded that this business will also close, Boyd said.
Despite these actions, Boyd remains optimistic about the future of the company. “The remaining cargo operations at Heathrow, Aberdeen and Belfast will continue to be a vital part of the future of Menzies Aviation in the UK, alongside our significant ground-handling operations across the country,” Boyd told Air Cargo World.