Heathrow Airport, American Airlines 777 on stand during cargo loading, May 2013.

Heathrow expansion is part of the plan for Scotland’s future. As the UK’s largest port, Heathrow is intrinsically linked to Scotland’s ability to trade with the world.

With expansion, communities and businesses across Scotland will be connected to new trading opportunities, boosting Scottish exports and creating thousands of skilled jobs. That’s why we are getting on with delivering the new runway – to build the infrastructure to keep Scotland and the rest of the UK at the heart of the global economy.

Boosting Scotland’s exports

Heathrow is Britain’s biggest port by value for global markets outside the EU and Switzerland, handling over 30% of the UK’s exports and connecting Scottish exporters to markets across the globe. One of the biggest exports through Heathrow by volume is high quality salmon, worth £280m to the Scottish economy.

An expanded Heathrow will double our cargo capacity, creating new export opportunities for businesses across Scotland, both large and small, and helping to boost Scotland’s trading potential. As we expand we will create up to 40 new long-haul trading routes, giving Scottish businesses the opportunity to reach out to new markets and trade with the world.

Connecting Scotland to the global marketplace

Today, Heathrow supports domestic routes to four cities across Scotland: Inverness, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. As part of expansion we are working with the Scottish Government and the UK Government to protect these routes and add new domestic flights to potentially connect other cities across Scotland, such as Dundee, with a £10m route development fund. This will allow businesses, from the smallest SME to the largest exporter, to capitalise on Heathrow’s increased cargo capacity and new long-haul connections.

The direct route between Heathrow and Inverness was reintroduced in May last year, connecting the city and the Highlands to the global marketplace. Businesses in the region now benefit from more flights and better connections, boosting the local economy and driving investment in regional industries such as life sciences, food and drink and tourism. Helping more cities like Inverness get connected to Heathrow will enable communities across Scotland to share the benefits of an expanded Heathrow.

Creating lasting skills and supply opportunities

Delivering Heathrow expansion is a major infrastructure project that will rely on talent from across Scotland, creating thousands of jobs and new supply chain opportunities for businesses across the nation.

We are working with the Scottish Government to locate a new Supply Chain Hub in Scotland, where materials that will become part of Europe’s largest private infrastructure project will be pre-assembled. This will create hundreds of manufacturing jobs and give more SMEs across Scotland access to Heathrow’s supply chain and the opportunity to be involved in the construction and operation of an expanded Heathrow.

As a result of the additional growth and trade delivered by an expanded Heathrow, up to 16,100 new jobs will be created across Scotland – with up to 1,400 new jobs in Inverness, 1,900 in Aberdeen, 6,100 in Dundee and 6,700 in Glasgow.

Building for Scotland’s future

Heathrow expansion is more than just a runway – it means strengthening Scotland’s opportunity. Strengthened connectivity and doubled cargo capacity means more Scottish exports in the global marketplace, and thousands of new skilled jobs to secure Scotland’s future as a confident, outward looking, trading nation.

Our next Scotland Business Summit is taking place on the 18th October in Edinburgh. To find out more about the opportunities Heathrow is creating for Scotland’s businesses book your place at:
www.heathrowbusinesssummit.co.uk