‘African carriers ahead in May global air freight market demand’

Th e International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data for global air freight markets showing that demand, measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs), grew 12.7 per cent in May 2017 compared to the year-earlier period. IATA also announced that African carriers posted the largest year-onyear increase in demand of all regions in May 2017 with freight volumes growing 27.6 per cent while capacity increased by 14.7 per cent over the same time period. Speaking in Geneva, Switzerland while presenting the fi gures, the director general and chief executive offi cer of IATA, Alexandre de Juniac explained that the region’s freight demand was boosted by “very strong growth on the trade lanes to and from Asia which increased by nearly 57 per cent so far this year.

” Statistics from the other regions showed that all regions, with the exception of Latin America, reported year-on-year double-digit increases in demand during the period. Asia-Pacifi c airlines’ freight volumes expanded 11.3 per cent in May 2017 compared to the same period a year earlier and capacity increased by 6.2 per cent. It was also reported that demand growth was strongest between 13-15 per cent, on international routes within Asia as well as between Asia and Europe. North American carriers posted an increase in freight volumes of 13.9 per cent in May, and a capacity increase of 4.1 per cent. Seasonallyadjusted volumes rose again in May, after a jump in April, indicating signs of a lasting pick up.

Th e strength of the US dollar continues to boost the inbound freight market but is keeping the export market under pressure. European airlines posted a 15.0 per cent increase in freight volumes in May 2017 and a capacity increase of 5.7 per cent. International freight volumes grew by 15.2 per cent year-on-year in May with airlines benefi ting from strong demand on the Europe-Asia market. Middle Eastern carriers’ year-onyear freight volumes increased 10.2 per cent in May 2017. Th is was a sharp jump from the 3.1 per cent dip in April. Latin American airlines experienced a growth in demand of 6.7 per cent in May 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. Capacity increased by 7.1 per cent over the same period. Generally, de Juniac said global demand was up from the 8.7 per cent annual growth recorded in April 2017 and is more than three times higher than the fi ve year average growth rate of 3.8 per cent. Freight capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometers (AFTKs), grew by 5.2 per cent yearon-year in May 2017. De Juniac said the continued growth of air freight demand is consistent with an improvement in world trade adding that the outlook for air freight is optimistic with demand expected to grow at a robust rate of 8 per cent during Q3 2017

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