German airline Lufthansa flies 80 tons of fruit and vegetables to Doncaster Sheffield Airport to alleviate border chaos
An 'airlift' announced by German airline Lufthansa's cargo division to fly fresh food into the UK will use Doncaster Sheffield Airport as its reception hub.
Around 80 tons of fruit and vegetables ordered by British supermarkets will be flown from Frankfurt to alleviate the current impasse over borders and Covid-19 restrictions on freight.
The Boeing B777 Freighter could be joined by further flights over the next few days.
Doncaster Sheffield Airport is already one of the country's leading hubs for cargo flights.
Chains including Tesco, Aldi, Co-op and Sainsbury's will receive the goods.
France shut its border with the UK on Sunday after it was revealed a new mutant strain of Covid-19 was spreading in the south of England, and thousands of lorries have been unable to travel between the countries.
HGV drivers will not be able to cross the Channel until they have been certified as Covid negative following a mass testing programme at ports.
Private aircraft have also been chartered by companies wishing to move goods since the Eurotunnel closed.
Frankfurt is the departure point of the Lufthansa flight because it is a hub for food grown in other European countries such as Spain and France for export.
The majority of fruit sold in the UK, especially out of season, comes from the EU and around half of its vegetables.
Lufthansa Cargo said: "We are currently examining whether additional special cargo flights can be offered during the next days."
Follow flight code LH8352 on Flightradar24 to track the plane on its journey to Doncaster.