The one-third rise in turnover during a quarter dominated by reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic followed a Q1 that saw turnover fall 11.6% to €246 million (£214.8 million) while sold tonnes were down 14.9%.Despite the turnover rise Q2 saw sold tonnes at IAG Cargo down 51.2%.

IAG Cargo chief executive Lynne Embleton said: “Q2 was, of course, dominated by the Covid pandemic. As passenger aircraft were grounded across the world, our teams adapted to ensure IAG Cargo continued to play a crucial role in supporting global trade and the movement of essential goods in these extraordinary times.

“We rapidly developed one of the most comprehensive networks of scheduled cargo-only flights available; a network of over 340 scheduled flights per week built around our customers’ needs and tailored to the most important cargo flows.

“In short, we have met the challenge of Covid-19 head on.”