News
September Asia-Pacific cargo volumes up 4.5%
November 4th 2021
Cargo volumes at Asia-Pacific airlines rose by 4.5% in September compared with 2019, but growth was slower than the previous month’s 5.1% and about half of the global expansion of 9.1%. Read More » The International Air Transport Association (IATA) attributed the lower Asia-Pacific demand mainly to slowing manufacturing activity in China. It noted international capacity also was significantly constrained in the region, down 18.2% versus September 2019, but said the decision by some countries in the region to lift travel restrictions should boost capacity. Globally, capacity was constrained at 8.9% below pre-pandemic levels and down 12% on international operations. Factors that affected global air cargo demand included supply chain disruptions, a low inventory-to-sales ratio ahead of peak year-end retail events and the cost-competitiveness of air cargo relative to container shipping, the association said. “There is a benefit from supply chain congestion as manufacturers turn to air transport for speed,’’ said IATA director general, Willie Walsh. “But severe capacity constraints continue to limit the ability of air cargo to absorb extra demand. If not addressed, bottlenecks in the supply chain will slow the economic recovery from COVID-19. Governments must act to relieve pressure on global supply chains and improve their overall resilience.”
