ESCALATING prices of air freight at London Heathrow are crippling businesses, reports UK's Coldchain News.

Post Covid air freight rates have not returned to pre-pandemic levels," said Mike Parr, perishable movements manager at fruit and veg trucking major PML.

"Sadly, this has meant many companies have been forced out of business as a result of untenable inflated operational and trading costs," said Mr Parr.

"At PML, we are experiencing an increase of 10-15 per cent in our sea freight offering, compared to the same period last year," he said.

Charges at Heathrow have increased at a rate which is out of kilter with any other UK airport, while the standard of service declines, he said.

"For example, it costs GBP880 (US$1,117.70) to offload a four-tonne pallet from the aircraft onto an ambient lorry which then transports the cargo to an ambient transit shed when precisely the same movement for goods being moved from Stansted is GBP37.50! Yet the same movement for exported costs at Heathrow is GBP55!" Mr Parr wrote in Heathrow's Coldchain News.

"Excessive handling charges, combined with the lengthy delays are likely to trigger an enhanced interest in shifting to sea freight, especially as exporters continue to identify new and inventive ways to maintain temperature control while the goods are in transit.