International air cargo markets remained weak in April, according to figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.
Asia Pacific carriers’ international air cargo demand, as measured in freight tonne kilometers, declined by 0.8 percent compared to April 2012. Offered freight capacity grew by 0.9 percent, resulting in a 1.1 percentage point fall in the average international cargo load factor to 65.2 percent.
“Overall, the first four months of the year saw a 5.6 percent increase in the number of international passengers carried by the region’s airlines, whilst international air cargo traffic declined by 3.2 percent. Sustained growth in the region’s economies continues to drive air travel demand for Asian carriers. On the other hand, air cargo demand remains lackluster,” Andrew Herdman, AAPA director general, said. “The outlook for international air cargo demand remains clouded by uncertainty over the likely pace of any pickup in world trade flows.”
Aircargo World