Teesside International Airport in the UK and Sary-Arka Airport in Kazakhstan have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore new cargo services between the two countries. The partnership aims to develop scheduled and charter freighter operations, strengthening trade links between Europe and Asia via Central Asia.

Teesside International Airport is located in Darlington, County Durham, England. The airport handled 261,440 passengers in 2025, up 14.6% year on year, and reported revenue of 14.9 million pounds for the year to March 2024.

Sary-Arka Airport is located in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, and is majority owned by Turlov Private Holding, which holds a 60% stake in Sky Service LLP, the airport's owner. The airport is planning more than 270 million dollars in investment to grow its annual cargo throughput from around 15,000 tonnes to 200,000 tonnes by the end of the decade.

Under the agreement, the two airports will explore scheduled and charter freighter operations, including the potential for direct cargo flights between Teesside and Karaganda. They will also jointly engage with airlines, charter operators, freight forwarders and logistics companies to identify new service opportunities.

Teesside has been developing its position as a UK e-commerce and air cargo hub, handling multiple daily flights through its cargo tenants, with further scheduled cargo services to Europe and Asia expected. Sary-Arka is being developed as an international cargo and logistics hub linking China and Central Asia with European markets, supported by investment in cargo handling, airline partnerships and logistics infrastructure.

The MoU also provides for the airports to share expertise in airport, cargo and real estate development, and to collaborate on e-commerce cargo handling initiatives.

"This agreement represents an exciting opportunity for Teesside International Airport as we continue to strengthen our position as a growing cargo gateway connecting the UK with key global markets. Sary-Arka Airport shares many of our ambitions and is strategically positioned as an important cargo hub between Europe and Asia," said Phil Forster, managing director of Teesside International Airport.

"This partnership is not simply about establishing a route between two airports. It is about combining our respective strengths to develop new cargo flows, attract airlines and logistics operators, and create more efficient connections between our markets," said Ruslan Gabbassov, chief executive of Sary-Arka Airport.

For the sector, the agreement reflects growing interest in diversified air cargo corridors linking the UK with Central Asia and China as global freight routes continue to shift.

Source: Aviation Business News / Air Cargo Week / Wikipedia