Solid first quarter for air cargo

MARCH completed a solid 2014 first quarter of growth for the world’s air cargo business with a like period volume growth of nearly 6.7 per cent versus 2013, according to WorldACD Market Data.
A US dollar yield drop versus the first three months of 2013 was limited to 2.6 per cent, and the first quarter "may have established a nice springboard for the remainder of the year," commented WorldACD.
Compared to February 2014, March showed "strong developments, such as a revenue growth month-over-month of 29 per cent, arrived at through a 25 per cent volume growth and a 3.5 per cent yield growth," it added.
But WorldACD Market Data warned that the good start to 2014 "has not changed the necessity – as perceived by many in the industry – to take a hard look at the way the air cargo business will likely be conducted in the future.”
Total worldwide volumes in the first quarter of 2014 were 6 per cent higher than two years before; the comparable growth for volumes generated through GSA’s, was 23 per cent. In Europe, the portion of GSA-generated business increased from 24 per cent to 27 per cent of the total business reported to WorldACD for the same periods. 
WorldACD Market Data commented: "Our research shows that GSA’s worldwide are outgrowing the market as a whole. A consequence of the large growth of airlines in markets new to them, or intent to experiment with different horses for courses? 
“A passing phenomenon, or the first sign of fundamentally changing sales models? Time will tell."