JOTA Aviation (London Southend) has partnered Priority Freight in launching a scheduled airbridge between Birmingham, GB and Ostend in Belgium, bypassing post-Brexit logjams at overland entry points.

"It has become inevitable that there will be disruption and delay at the major ports once the transition period ends. The travel uncertainty caused by the latest developments with COVID restrictions has exacerbated an already fragile situation," Chief Executive Andy Green said.

The British charter specialist operates two active BAe 146-300(QT)s, which can be rapidly shifted between passenger and cargo configurations. One is currently operating Italian domestic routes on behalf of Poste Air Cargo (M4, Rome Fiumicino), while the other, G-JOTE (msn E3182), was ferried to Birmingham on January 3 and will presumably be used for the airbridge to Belgium.

The airline also owns a further two (stored) BAe 146-300(QT)s, as well as two aircraft in passenger configurations - one ARJ-85 and one ARJ-100.

While the UK and the EU reached a last-minute trade agreement before the post-Brexit transition period ended on December 31, 2020, the new deal requires customs checks on goods travelling between the sides.