Air Freight Customs Clearance at Gatwick

Gxpresss provides air freight customs clearance at London Gatwick Airport, a significant belly-hold cargo hub serving the South East of England.

Handling over 100,000 tonnes of cargo annually, Gatwick is a key airport for cargo travelling on long-haul routes to the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

Gxpresss delivers pre-flight CDS declarations, PVA management, and rapid customs clearance for belly-hold and freighter cargo arriving at London Gatwick..

Why Choose Gxpresss at Gatwick?

Gatwick is primarily a belly-hold cargo airport, meaning cargo travels on scheduled passenger flights rather than dedicated freighters. This creates a different clearance dynamic — flight times are fixed around passenger schedules, and cargo is released in batches at the ground handler. Gxpresss's experience with belly-hold clearance at Gatwick means we know the exact timing of cargo releases from the major ground handlers, allowing us to queue entries for the fastest possible release.

Air Freight Desk

Phone +44 207 993 6953

Email info@gxpresss.co.uk

Hours Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 10am-5pm

Office Galaxy Business Park
Blaydon on Tyne, NE21 4SQ

Book Consultation

Services at Gatwick

Specialist air freight customs and logistics services for importers using Gatwick.

Air Customs Clearance

CDS import declarations at Gatwick aligned to belly-hold cargo release schedules.

Belly-Hold Cargo

Specialist customs handling for passenger aircraft belly cargo at Gatwick's cargo sheds.

Americas & Africa Routes

Customs clearance for cargo on transatlantic, Caribbean, and West Africa routes at Gatwick.

PVA Management

Postponed VAT Accounting on all eligible Gatwick air imports as standard.

Temperature-Controlled

Cold chain compliant customs clearance for perishables and flowers from Africa and the Americas.

South East Distribution

Delivery across Surrey, Sussex, Kent, London, and the wider South East from Gatwick.

Cargo Airlines at Gatwick

Gxpresss can clear cargo arriving on any airline operating at Gatwick, whether travelling as belly-hold freight or on dedicated freighter services.

South East England's second major London airport with belly-hold cargo capacity
Strong routes to the Americas, Caribbean, and West Africa
25 miles from central London — competitive option for South East distribution
M23 motorway access connecting to the M25 national network
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic World Cargo long-haul belly freight

British Airways World Cargo

Virgin Atlantic Cargo

FedEx Express

DHL Express

TUI Airways

Gatwick Air Freight FAQ

Common questions about air freight customs clearance at Gatwick.

Gatwick handles predominantly belly-hold cargo on long-haul scheduled services. This includes general air freight, cut flowers and perishables (especially from Kenya and Colombia), high-value goods, courier shipments, and some dedicated freighter services. Gxpresss handles all cargo types.

Cargo in aircraft holds is released to the ground handler after landing. Gxpresss pre-lodges the customs entry in flight and monitors the ground handler system for cargo receipt confirmation. As soon as cargo is received, the customs entry is assessed and, for straightforward shipments, released immediately.

Yes, Gatwick has strong routes to North America (British Airways, Virgin Atlantic), the Caribbean, and West Africa, making it a natural choice for cargo on these routes. For South East England businesses, Gatwick also avoids the Heathrow congestion associated with those same routes.

Yes, Gatwick receives significant volumes of fresh flowers, particularly from Kenya and Colombia on overnight East Africa and South American services. Gxpresss provides rapid clearance for perishable goods, including Port Health pre-notifications and CVED coordination, to protect the cold chain.

Gatwick is approximately 25 miles from central London, with direct M23/M25 access. Same-day delivery to most London locations is possible for cargo cleared in the morning. Gxpresss can provide direct door-to-door delivery from Gatwick across the South East.

Air Freight Customs Clearance at Gatwick