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Preliminary traffic figures for April released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) showed encouraging growth in air cargo markets.
For the region's carriers, international air cargo demand in freight tonne kilometres (FTK) increased by 4.7 percent in April, on the back of sustained demand for Asian exports. However, freight load factors remained under pressure due to capacity expansion.
With offered freight capacity expanding by 5.3 percent, the international freight load factor averaged 64.3 percent in April, 0.4 percentage points lower than the same month last year. Andrew Herdman, AAPA director general, said, air cargo demand for the region's carriers grew by 4.2 percent, thanks to an improvement in global trade conditions."
Looking ahead, Herdman added, "The overall demand environment looks positive, underpinned by positive growth in the global economy. However, the region's carriers continue to face intense competition in the marketplace with signs of overcapacity and the resulting yield pressures."
Cargonews Asia
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