AIR CARGO DEMAND CONTINUES TO RISE DESPITE TRADE DISRUPTIONS
On 30 June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its latest data on global air cargo markets, reporting a growth in demand despite trade disruptions.
Compared to May 2024, total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), increased by 2.2% (3% for international operations). Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTKs), increased by 2% compared to May 2024 (2.6% for international operations).
European carriers recorded a 1.6% year-on-year growth in cargo demand in May, while capacity increased by 1.5% over the same period. Demand on Europe-Asia routes grew by 13.4%, marking the 27th consecutive month of growth. Traffic on Europe-North America routes increased by 8.2%, continuing a growth trend for the 16th consecutive month.
Mr Wille Walsh, Director General of IATA, argued that this is an encouraging development, despite a 10.7% drop in traffic on the Asia-North America trade lane, which reflected the impact of shifting US trade policies. He also highlighted the resilience of the air cargo sector in helping shippers adapt their supply chains by adjusting deliveries as needed.
Source: IATA