AIR CARGO DEMAND SHOWS CONTINUED GROWTH IN MARCH
On 29 April, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) published its latest air cargo market data, reporting a continued increase in global air freight demand for March 2025. The data confirms a strong performance, marking a historic peak for the month.
Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), rose by 4.4% year-on-year, with international operations growing by 5.5%. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTKs), also recorded a 4.3% increase compared to March 2024, rising to 6.1% for international services.
European carriers reported a 4.5% increase in demand compared to the same period last year. Intra-European cargo grew by 2% year-on-year. The Europe–North America route remained the busiest trade lane, while volumes on the Europe–Middle East corridor declined.
Mr Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA, noted that the strong March performance may be partially attributed to front-loading by businesses seeking to avoid the 2 April tariff measures introduced by the Trump Administration. He also emphasised the need for political leaders to resolve trade tensions and foster stable agreements that reinforce confidence in global supply chains.
Source: IATA