A new study conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) revealed that air cargo demand is off to a strong start this year, with an 8 percent rise in January 2018 when compared against the previous year.
This growth was reported in all regions. Freight capacity has likewise grown, with the available freight tonne kilometers (AFTKs) measure rising by 4.2 percent in the same period. IATA, which represents 280 airlines and 83 percent of global air traffic, said that this reflects a continued, positive demand for air cargo. Manufacturing export demand is on the rise, which means longer supply chain delivery times–which means more people potentially turning to air cargo.
“With 8 percent growth in January, it’s been a solid start to 2018 for air cargo,” IATA Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said. “That follows an exceptional year in which demand grew by 9 percent. We expect demand for air cargo to taper to a more normal 4.5 percent growth rate for 2018. But there are potential headwinds. If President Trump follows through on his promise to impose sanctions on aluminum and steel imports, there is a very real risk of a trade war. Nobody wins when protectionist measures escalate.”
In terms of growth, the above figures–unless otherwise indicated–are based on freight tonne kilometers (FTKs).