Glasgow Prestwick Airport signs Guangzhou agreement to strengthen China trade lanes

Glasgow Prestwick Airport (Prestwick) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) to support stronger trade ties between China and the United Kingdom.

The agreement, signed during the International Air Transport Association (IATA) North Asia Cargo Day in Guangzhou, China, follows a year in which Prestwick has expanded its role as a UK gateway for Asian e-commerce and high value exports, such as Scottish salmon and whisky.

“This agreement gives Prestwick a direct platform to work with one of Asia’s most important cargo gateways at a time when e-commerce growth, capacity pressure, and demand for faster export routes are reshaping trade between China and the United Kingdom,” said Jules Matteoni, Executive Director, Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

“Prestwick’s value is its ability to turn available runway capacity into reliable cargo handling, fast landside access, and direct trade lanes that work in both directions, supporting Asian goods moving into the United Kingdom and Scottish exports moving into high value overseas markets.”

The agreement will support closer cooperation between the two airports on cargo development, operational knowledge sharing, and network connectivity.

Prestwick now handles 15 scheduled services a week to and from mainland China, including scheduled services to CAN, alongside three weekly Hong Kong services.

The MoU marks the latest step in Prestwick’s strategy to pair inbound Asian e-commerce with outbound premium exports, creating a more balanced, direct, and resilient cargo model for airlines, forwarders, and shippers.