Britain’s largest airports group saw cargo traffic plunged more than 20 per cent in February. BAA, which operates seven UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh and Glasgow, said that its total UK cargo volumes had fallen by 21.4 per cent during February compared with the same month a year ago to 119,984 tonnes.

BAA said the steep declines were a result of the current economic environment with a spokesman also blaming “adverse weather conditions” and a leap year during 2008, which added an extra day of traffic to last year’s figures, therebyamplifying the declining numbers.