Gatwick Airport: Southeast exports £479 billion of goods and services to India each year, as first Air India flights leave Gatwick

These impressive trade volumes – and the jobs they support - have been given a further boost today as Air India starts flight from London Gatwick Airport. This will see 12 flights departing every week to Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Kochi and Goa.

The airport’s long-haul network – which currently serves 47 global destinations - has been shown to support the economy by facilitating increased exports and imports. The vast majority of cargo handled at the airport goes in the belly of long-haul passenger aircraft, such as these Air India flights. Cargo volumes would also double if Gatwick’s Northern Runway is brought into routine use.