The global air freight market declined 3.6 percent in April compared to 2018, while global passenger figures grew 2.9 percent, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) World.
For the first four months of 2019, the air freight market has dropped 2.6 percent while passenger volume has jumped 3.5 percent.
“With trade conflicts between the United States and its major partners remaining unresolved, and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East flaring up again, the indications are that 2019 could be a difficult year for the air freight market,” Angela Gittens, ACI world director general, said. “The global backdrop remains weak for both emerging and advanced economies, and it remains uncertain whether trade tensions can be resolved and whether key macroeconomic indicators such as consumption and direct investment will regain momentum before the end of the year.”
International freight had the largest drop, 6.6 percent, when compared to 2018, and has fallen 4.4 percent during the first four months of the year.
Domestic freight grew 3.8 percent for the month and 1.5 percent for the year.
International passenger traffic grew 5.6 percent compared to 2018 and has increased 4.9 percent during the first four months of the year.
Domestic passenger traffic grew 0.6 percent for the month and 2.5 percent for the year.