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Total air cargo demand in terms of cargo ton kilometers for June, this year, rose 0.8% compared to June 2024
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Capacity measured in available cargo ton kilometers, meanwhile, rose by 1.7% compared to June, last year
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Trade tensions saw North American traffic fall by 8.3% and European growth stagnate at 0.8%. But Asia-Pacific bucked the trend to report a 9.0% expansion
Total air cargo demand in terms of cargo ton kilometers for June, this year, rose 0.8% compared to June 2024, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in a statement.
Capacity measured in available cargo ton kilometers, meanwhile, rose by 1.7% compared to June, last year.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh said “there are very differing stories” behind the numbers for the industry’s major players.
He pointed out that trade tensions saw North American traffic fall by 8.3% and European growth stagnate at 0.8%. But Asia-Pacific bucked the trend to report a 9.0% expansion.
“Meanwhile disruptions from military conflict in the Middle East saw the region’s cargo traffic fall by 3.2%,” said Walsh.
“The June air cargo data made it very clear that stability and predictability are essential supports for trade. Emerging clarity on US tariffs allows businesses greater confidence in planning.
“But we cannot overlook the fact that the ‘deals’ being struck are resulting in significantly higher tariffs on goods imported into the US than we had just a few months ago. The economic damage of these cost barriers to trade remains to be seen. In the meantime, governments should redouble efforts to make trade facilitation simpler, faster, cheaper and more secure with digitalization,” said Walsh.
According to IATA, several factors in the operating environment should be noted:
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Year-on-year, world industrial production rose 3.2% in May and global goods trade grew by 5%.
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The June jet fuel price was 12% lower year-on-year, a fourth consecutive year-on-year monthly decline. It was, however, 8.6% up on May prices.
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Global manufacturing rebounded in June, with the PMI rising above the 50 mark to 51.2.
The PMI for new export orders improved by 1.2 index points but remained in negative territory (49.3), under pressure from recent US trade policy shifts under the Trump administration.
Asia-Pacific airlines was the top performer in the region, seeing a 9.0% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in June. Capacity increased by 7.8% year-on-year.
North American carriers saw an 8.3% year-on-year fall in growth for air cargo, the slowest growth of all regions. Capacity decreased by 5.1% year-on-year.
European carriers saw an 0.8% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in June. Capacity increased 2.6% year-on-year.
Middle Eastern carriers, meanwhile, saw a 3.2% year-on-year decrease in demand for air cargo in June with capacity up by 1.5% year-on-year.
Latin American carriers saw a 3.5% year-on-year increase in demand growth, even as capacity fell by 0.4% year-on-year.
African airlines saw a 3.9% year-on-year decrease in demand for air cargo in June. Capacity increased by 6.2% year-on-year.
Air freight volumes for the month in review rose for major trade corridors from/within Europe and Middle East-Asia. However, other relevant trade routes from/within Asia and from North America decreased significantly in the most recent month.
It can therefore be concluded that despite various trade disruptions, global air cargo demand is moving along as of June, this year.
READ: May air cargo demand rises 2.2% even with trade disruptions – IATA
