Cargo Breaking News
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), total global air cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), rose by 3.2 per cent year on year (YoY) in January this year (3.6 per cent for international operations) for the eighteenth consecutive month of growth. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), increased by 6.8 per cent YoY in the month (7.3 per cent for international operations). “January marked 18 consecutive months of growth for air cargo, but the month’s 3.2 per cent YoY growth is a moderation from double-digit peaks in 2024. Similarly, yields, while still above January 2024 levels, saw a 9.9 per cent decline from December as cargo load factors also declined by an average of 1.5 percentage points,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general. While external factors such as trade growth, declining fuel costs and expanding e-commerce remain positive for air cargo, it is important to closely watch the evolution of market conditions at this time. In particular, the wild card is the potential for tariff-driven trade policies from the US Trump administration. Fortunately, the air cargo industry is well practiced at dealing with shifts in the operating environment,” he noted. Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 7.5-per cent YoY demand growth for air cargo in January. Capacity increased by 10.9 per cent YoY.
