Travel Industry News at TravelNewsAsia.com since 1997. Interviews, podcasts, videos, pictures and more
Tue, 8 June 2021

Air Cargo Demand Up 12% on Pre-COVID19 Levels

IATA's global air cargo data for April 2021 shows that demand, up 12%, continued to outperform pre-COVID levels (April 2019).

As comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID19, unless noted otherwise, all comparisons to follow are to April 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern.

Global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), was up 12% compared to April 2019 and 7.8% compared to March 2021. Seasonally adjusted demand is now 5% higher than the pre-crisis August 2018 peak.

The strong performance was led by North American carriers contributing 7.5 percentage points to the 12% growth rate in April. Airlines in all other regions except for Latin America also supported the growth.

Lockheed Martin LM-​100J Super Hercules reg: N5103D. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com Click to enlarge.

Capacity remains 9.7% below pre-COVID19 levels (April 2019) due to the ongoing grounding of passenger aircraft. Airlines continue to use dedicated freighters to plug the lack of available belly capacity. International capacity from dedicated freighters rose 26.2% in April 2021 compared to the same month in 2019, while belly-cargo capacity dropped by 38.5%.

Competitiveness against sea shipping has improved as air cargo rates have stabilized since reaching a peak in April 2020, while shipping container rates remain relatively high in comparison. Meanwhile, longer supplier delivery times as economic activity ramps up make the speed of air cargo an advantage by recovering some of the time lost in the production process.

“Air cargo continues to be the good news story for the air transport sector. Demand is up 12% on pre-crisis levels and yields are solid,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “Some regions are outperforming the global trend, most notably carriers in North America, the Middle East and Africa. Strong air cargo performance, however, is not universal. The recovery for carriers in the Latin American region, for example, is stalled.”

Asia-Pacific airlines saw demand for international air cargo increase 9.2% in April 2021 compared to the same month in 2019 and a significant improvement in performance compared to March 2021. International capacity remained constrained in the region, down 18.7% versus April 2019. As was also the case in March, the region’s airlines reported the highest international load factor at 77.5%.

North American carriers posted a 25.6% increase in international demand in April 2021 compared to April 2019. This strong performance reflects the appetite of US consumers for products manufactured in Asia. North American carriers have also been able to grow their market share, notably on routes between North and South America, owing to the large freighter fleets they have available. International capacity grew by 5.5% compared with April 2019.

European carriers posted an 11.4% increase in demand in April 2021 compared to the same month in 2019. This was a significant improvement compared to the previous month. Improved operating conditions and recovering export orders contributed to the positive performance. International capacity decreased by 17.5% in April 2021 versus April 2019, remaining unchanged from the previous month.

Middle Eastern carriers posted a 15.3% rise in international cargo volumes in April 2021 versus April 2019. This was a significant improvement compared to the previous month. Seasonally adjusted volumes remain on a robust upward trend. International capacity in April was down 17.5% compared to the same month in 2019.

Latin American carriers reported a decline of 32.7% in international cargo volumes in April compared to the 2019 period. This was the worst performance of all regions and a decline in performance compared to the previous month. Drivers of air cargo demand in Latin America remain relatively less supportive than in the other regions, and airlines in the region have lost market share to other carriers due to financial restructuring. Despite this, volumes on several routes in the region (such as Europe and Central America, and North and South America) performed well. International capacity decreased 52.5% compared with April 2019.

African airlines’ cargo demand in April increased 30.6% compared to the same month in 2019, the strongest of all regions and the fourth consecutive month of growth at or above 25% compared to 2019. Robust expansion on the Asia-Africa trade lanes contributed to the strong growth. April international capacity increased by 0.6% compared to April 2019.

See also: What is the IATA Travel Pass, and what does it mean for travellers, airlines and the global travel industry? Exclusive video interview with Vinoop Goel.

See latest Travel Industry News, Video Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: IATA, Traffic, Cargo, Freight, FTK.

Headlines: Minor to Rebrand Palatial Hotel in Vienna, Austria  Langham Signs Cordis Hotel in Xi'an, China  Sunny Sodhi Appointed Managing Director of FCM Travel India  ASM Global (APAC) Appoints Tina Eggers as Deputy Director of Business Development  Pegasus Airlines to Launch Flights Between Istanbul and Dortmund, Germany  Aviation: International RPK at 94.4% of October 2019 Levels  IATA Reports Global Air Cargo Statistics for October 2023  Air Canada Expands Plane to Train Options in Europe  Airbus Tests New Firefighting Prototype Kit on A400M  Over 1,000 Companies from 50+ Countries to Exhibit at Singapore Airshow 2024  AirAsia Malaysia to Launch Direct Flights Between Kota Kinabalu and Seoul, South Korea  EcoPulse Completes First Flight Test in Hybrid-Electric Mode  SITA Appoints Stefan Schaffner as SVP Airports and Sergiy Nevstruyev as SVP Global Services  Lufthansa Group Expands Green Fares to 12 Long-Haul Flights  Thai Airways Launches Flights Between Bangkok and Istanbul, Türkiye  Marriott Signs 350-Room, New-Build W Hotel in Singapore  Hong Kong Airlines Launches Flights to Kumamoto, Japan  BCD Travel Forecasts Increase in Hotel Rates and Decrease in Airfares in 2024  Minor Expands Dollars for Deeds CSR Programme to Avani Hotels & Resorts in Asia  AirAsia Unveils Special Tribute Livery Dedicated to Datuk Irene Benggon Charuruks  IndiGo Launches Flights Between Hyderabad and Gondia, Maharashtra  South Korea's Flight Inspection Services Center Takes Delivery of First Praetor 600 Aircraft  Michael Gnaegi Joins Chatrium Grand Bangkok as General Manager  IHG Opens InterContinental Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 59 in Bangkok, Thailand  Qatar Airways Celebrates 20 Years of Flying DOH-SIN with Special Business Class Menu by Chef Ton  Dusit Signs First Hotel in Malaysia  Minor Hotels Signs Luxurious Tented Camp on Banks of Kafue River in Western Zambia  Turkish and Vietnam Airlines to Research Air Cargo Joint Venture  Dorsett Hospitality Appoints Harmesh Singh as GM of Two Hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  Porter Airlines Exercises Options on 25 More E195-E2 Jets  Michael Henssler Joins Centara as Chief Operating Officer  Perth, Australia Confirmed as Host of Routes Asia 2025  Airbus Forecasts Commercial Aircraft Services Market to Nearly Double in Value by 2042  Renaissance Hotel Opens in Harlem, New York  Swiss Deploys SITA eWAS Across Entire Fleet  CentralPlaza Rattanathibet's Major Redevelopment to Include a Hotel and Condo  Craig Bond Returns to Pan Pacific as Senior Vice President and Head of Operations  Korean Air Cargo Signs SAF-Related MOU with LX Pantos  Plaza Premium Opening Three Lounges at Chongqing Jiangbei Airport in China  Hi Fly Expands Fleet with Two Widebody Aircraft  Significant Increase in AirAsia Malaysia Flights to China and India  New Airport in Uttar Pradesh, India Confirms IndiGo as Launch Carrier  Sandie Johannessen Joins Minor Hotels as Group Director of Spa and Wellness - Asia  Thai Airways Signs SAF-Related MOU with PTT Oil and Retail Business  Earn Tier Points with Every Spend on British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card  Yotel's First Hotel in Malaysia to Open in Summer 2025  Hong Kong Airport Reports October 2023 Passenger and Cargo Traffic  General Manager Appointments at Anantara Hotels in France and Portugal  SITA Partners Versa for New Connect Go Solution  SalamAir to Launch Flights from Muscat to Five Cities in India  AirAsia X to Launch Direct Flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan  Pegasus Airlines Adopts Three SkyBreathe Solutions  Ungasan, Bali Home to Hilton's First LXR Resort in South East Asia  Electra's EL-2 Goldfinch eSTOL Aircraft Completes First Test Flights  WTTC Appoints Gloria Fluxà as Vice-Chair and Sustainability Committee Chair  Onyx Hospitality Signs Second Amari Hotel in Laos  TransNusa Launches Jakarta - Singapore and Jakarta - Guangzhou Flights  SriLankan Airlines Appoints APG as Passenger GSA in Ireland  SITA to Upgrade Qatar Airways' Global Network Infrastructure  Embraer Defense & Security Appoints José Gustavo as VP Sales & Business Development  AirAsia Malaysia to Launch Flights Between Kuala Lumpur and Perth, Australia  Korean Air Appoints Hoyeon (Chris) Chang as Country Manager for Cambodia  IHG Signs New-Build InterContinental Hotel in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia  Chen Thipvarodom Appointed GM of Centara's New Hotel in Ayutthaya, Thailand  St. Regis Hotel Opens in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  Thai Airways Partners Jim Thompson for New Royal Silk Amenity Kits  E190-E2 and E195-E2 Receive Type Certification from Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore  Oman Air Takes Delivery of First Dedicated Cargo Aircraft  United Airlines Confirms Tulum Airport (TQO) Flight Schedule  Queen Elizabeth 2 Floating Hotel Celebrates 15 Years in Dubai with Promotion  El Nido Resorts in Philippines to Close for Major Renovations - Exclusive Video Interview with GDOSM  Tourism Pahang, Malaysia - Interview with Uzaidi Bin Udanis at World Travel Market 2023 in London  Travel Trade Show to Take Over Major Football Stadium in Brazil - Exclusive Video Interview with ABAV  Sabre Hospitality Solutions Interview with Frank Trampert, SVP and Global MD Commercial  Exclusive HD Video Interviews with VIPs at World Travel Market 2023 in London, England  Diethelm Travel Rebrands as DTH Travel at WTM - Interview with Stephan Roemer, Partner and Group CEO  Sabre Travel Solutions - Lodging, Ground & Sea - Interview with Chinmai Sharma, Global Head, at WTMLDN  Goa Tourism (India) - HD Video Interview with Rohan A. Khaunte, Minister for Tourism at WTMLDN  Browns Hotels & Resorts in Sri Lanka - HD Video Interview with Eksath Wijeratne, CEO, at WTMLDN  IHG Signs Two Luxury Hotels in Chiang Rai, Thailand  Uttar Pradesh (India) Tourism - Interview with Prateek Hira, President & CEO of Tornos  Karnataka Tourism (India) - Interview with H.T. Ratnakar, Adviser - Tourism and Hospitality, Govt. of Karnataka  Madhya Pradesh Tourism (India) - Interview with Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary Culture & Tourism  Rajasthan Tourism (India) - Interview with Dr. Rashmi Sharma, Director - Department of Tourism  Arabian Camp, Saudi Arabia - HD Video Interview with Khalid Khafagy, Founder, at WTM 2023  airBaltic Orders 30 More Airbus A220-300 Aircraft  Two Senior Appointments at Ascott  SIA Group Aiming for SAF to Replace 5% of Fuel Requirements by 2030  Eve Signs MOU with NATS to Develop Urban Air Mobility Traffic Management Services  Avion Express Appoints Rolanda Lipneviciute as Head of Communications  Urban Air Mobility and eVTOL - HD Video Interview with Yannick Assouad, EVP Avionics, Thales  Sandrine de Saint Sauveur, President and CEO of APG - Interview at APG World Connect 2023  Seville to Host Routes Europe 2025 Forum  Rolls-Royce Completes 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel Test Programme  HD Video Interviews from APG World Connect 2023 in Monaco, France  Dusit Signs Four Princess Hotels in Karnataka, India  Air Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Hotels / Tourism Interview with Michel Monvoisin, Chairman and CEO  TAAG Angola Airlines - HD Video Interview with Nowell Ngala, Chief Commercial Officer  Sabre Signs Multi-Solution Agreement with Taipei-Based Travel Agency  Minor Signs First Three Hotels in Paris, France  Sabre Travel Solutions Appoints Chinmai Sharma as Global Head - Lodging, Ground & Sea  APG World Connect 2023 in Monaco, France - Interview with Jean-Louis Baroux, President  SAS Resumes Flights Between Copenhagen and Bangkok, Thailand After 10-Year Hiatus  Air Astana Increases Flights to Bangkok, Delhi, Dubai, Jeddah and Phuket  Langham Signs 10th Luxury Hotel in China's Greater Bay Area  Sabre's NDC Solutions to Power Virgin Australia's Retailing Evolution  Asia Pacific Airlines Carried 23.7 Million International Passengers in September  Korean Air Orders 20 Airbus A321neo Aircraft  15 Exclusive Video Interviews from Routes World 2023 in Istanbul, Türkiye  Electric Airport Taxis at Almaty Airport in Kazakhstan - Video Interview with Co-Founder  Pictures from Miss International Queen 2023 Transgender Beauty Pageant in Pattaya, Thailand  Exclusive Video Interviews with 17 Miss International Queen 2023 Contestants  Living With One Eye - Six Years On by Steven Howard  HD Videos and Interviews  Podcasts from HD Video Interviews  RSS Feed - Travel Industry News  Ticker - Travel Industry News  Travel Industry News Archives  Travel Trade Shows  High-Res Picture Galleries  Travel News Asia - Latest Travel Industry News 

Subscribe to our Travel Industry News RSS Feed Travel Industry News RSS Feed from TravelNewsAsia.com. To do that in Outlook, right-click the RSS Feeds folder, select Add a New RSS Feed, enter the URL of our RSS Feed which is: https://www.travelnewsasia.com/travelnews.xml and click Add. The feed can also be used to add the headlines to your website or channel via a customisable applet. Have questions? Please read our Travel News FAQ. Thank you.

     
Advertising
Advertising
Copyright © 1997-2023 TravelNewsAsia.com