CARGO shifted through Stansted Airport last month at almost five times the rate in October last year, new figures reveal.Airport owner BAA said its cargo operation enjoyed its fourth month-on-month increase in a row as more than 15,000 tonnes of goods we

CARGO shifted through Stansted Airport last month at almost five times the rate in October last year, new figures reveal.

Airport owner BAA said its cargo operation enjoyed its fourth month-on-month increase in a row as more than 15,000 tonnes of goods were transported through Stansted last month - a 14.2 per cent increase on last January.

"This upturn in cargo through Stansted is encouraging news, reflecting an increase in trade and economic activity," said commercial and development director Nick Barton.

"Passenger numbers are also beginning to stabilise with rates of decline significantly down on 2009, and we remain hopeful that this area of our business will also see a return to growth towards the end of 2010."

Stansted is the second largest London airport for cargo operations into and out of the UK

"Around 180,000 tonnes of cargo are shipped through our world-class facilities at Stansted each year. Fed-Ex has their largest UK hub here and the airport is also home to BA's World Cargo operation," said Mr Barton.

"With AirAsia X carrying goods on direct flights to Kuala Lumpur and beyond and other passenger airlines transporting items daily across their route networks, its not just freight operators linking Stansted onto the vast cargo networks around the globe.