The month of January 1979 saw a total of 138 extra cargo charters at Rotterdam due to a strike from British truck drivers. Initially British Air Ferries would operate 9 flights a day between Southend and Rotterdam. Mainly with cigarettes from the UK destined for the Middle-East. The harsh winter delayed several flights. After 17 January BAF stopped operating to Rotterdam because they got a better contract flying parts between Ford factories in the UK. Transavia took over the flights to Southend.