Asia Pacific cargo uptick in May
02 / 03 / 2015
ASIA PACIFIC airlines saw a “healthy growth” in demand for air cargo in May, according to the latest industry data.
Preliminary traffic figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines saw International air cargo demand in freight tonne km increase by 4.7 per cent last month, with export shipments to the US and Europe both having “gained momentum”.
Offered freight capacity registered a four per cent increase. As a result, the average international freight load factor edged 0.5 percentage points higher to 64.9 per cent in May compared to the same month last year.
Andrew Herdman, AAPA director general, said: "During the first five months of the year, Asia Pacific airlines saw air cargo demand grow by 4.4per cent. The growth in demand seen in both the passenger and air freight markets reflects generally positive economic sentiment in global markets."
Herdman added, "Nevertheless, pricing remains very competitive across all segments of the industry, and the recent jump in oil prices above the US$110 mark is another cause for concern.
“Asian carriers continue to carefully manage capacity in line with demand growth, keeping a tight rein on costs to maintain profitability."
