The first flight will use an Airbus A330-200F, touching down on Tuesday 11 February with additional flights planned for 18 and 25 February.
They will carry shipments from the e-commerce platforms Shein, Temu and TikTok, who all operate out of Hong Kong.
Each flight will have up to 60 tonnes of capacity, which will be processed and sorted at Prestwick before final mile delivery by Royal Mail and Evri.
Nico Le Roux, Business Development Director at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, says, “We have made significant investments over the past year to improve our cargo handling capabilities and attract traffic from the Far East, with new equipment and the appointment of a dedicated airport representative based in Greater China.”
He says the services are a sign that efforts to develop Prestwick as a leading e-commerce gateway are yielding results.
The Hong Kong flights follow expansion based on partnerships with Royal Mail Group and Chicago’s Rockford airport.
Tony Ma, Chairman of Hong Kong Air Cargo says Prestwick is the ideal choice to support operations in the UK due to the fast turnaround times and experienced cargo team.
He says, “The hub’s location is ideal for our e-commerce flights, with easy access to road and rail connections, as well as by sea to Ireland, and we are looking to fill our return leg with two of the UK’s biggest exports to the Far East by weight.”
Prestwick is working with Scottish exporters so they do not have to drive goods to London Heathrow Airport.
They are working on filling return flights with highly sought-after Scottish products including salmon and whisky.
Le Roux says, “Scottish salmon and whisky are highly sought-after in Asia, and this new route provides a direct and efficient means of getting these premium products to the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese market.”