Global air cargo demand up in September despite trade disruptions

By Mucahithan Avcioglu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Total air cargo demand around the globe was up 2.9% on an annual basis in September, marking the seventh consecutive month of overall growth, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Wednesday.

Total air capacity—available cargo ton-kilometers (ACTK)—also rose 3% over the same period, the group said.

Regionally, the largest growth in air cargo demand was in African air carriers, with 14.7% growth, followed by Asia Pacific airlines with a 6.8% increase and European carriers with 2.5%.

Conversely, air cargo demand posted a 2.2% decline for Latin American and Caribbean carriers. North American carriers also saw a 1.2% year-on-year decrease.

IATA’s Director General Willie Walsh said: "Air cargo demand grew 2.9% year-on-year in September, marking the seventh consecutive month of overall growth. Buried in that growth is a significant alteration of trade patterns as US tariff policies, including the ending of de minimis exemptions, kick in.

"On one side of the equation, a decline in North America-Asia demand has set in over the last five months. But this has been more than compensated for with strong growth within Asia and on routes linking Asia to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East."

He added that, while many had feared an unwinding of global trade, they are instead seeing air cargo adapting successfully to serve shifting market demands.

The IATA said several factors in the operating environment should be noted, such as a 3.7% rise in global goods trade in August and a 5.4% increase in jet fuel prices in September, despite lower oil prices, driven by a tighter diesel market.

It also noted that the global manufacturing strengthened for a second consecutive month in September, with the purchasing managers' index (PMI) rising to 51.3 points.

"New export orders improved slightly to 49.6 but remained below the 50-point expansion threshold, reflecting ongoing caution amid tariff uncertainty," it added.