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Air cargo volumes take a beating in February: IATA
来源： 编辑：编辑部 发布：2020/04/08 09:46:07
FACTORY closures as a result of the coronavirus outbreak and travel restrictions had its toll on air cargo traffic in February.
According to IATA cargo tonne kms (CTK) dropped by 1.3 per cent year on year in February, while cargo capacity was down by 4.4 per cent and the average load factor improved by 1.5 percentage points to 46.4 per cent.
However, IATA said that if seasonal effects are taken into account - the timing of the Chinese New Year holiday and an extra leap day due to the leap year - the drop off in cargo traffic would have been much larger at 9.1 per cent. This is the largest ever drop off in terms of seasonally adjusted demand.
The worst affected carriers were those based in the Asia Pacific region.
IATA director general and chief executive Alexandre de Juniac said: "The spread of COVID-19 intensified over the month of February, and with it, the impact on air cargo.
"Adjusted demand for air cargo fell by 9.1 per cent. Asia-Pacific carriers were the most affected with a seasonally adjusted drop of 15.5 per cent. What has unfolded since is a story of two halves.
"The disruption of global supply chains led to a fall in demand. But the dramatic disruption in passenger traffic resulted in even deeper cuts to cargo capacity.
"And the industry is struggling to serve remaining demand with the limited capacity available. We only got a first glimpse of this in February. Among all the uncertainty in this crisis, one thing is clear - air cargo is vital.
"It is delivering lifesaving drugs and medical equipment. And it is supporting global supply chains. That's why it is critical for governments to remove any blockers as the industry does all it can to keep the global air cargo network functioning in the crisis and ready for the recovery."
Asia-Pacific airlines saw demand for air cargo contract by 2.2 per cent in February 2020, compared with the year-earlier period. Seasonally-adjusted cargo demand fell by 15.5 per cent compared to January 2020, to levels last seen in early 2014.
"The drop in demand was largely due to the impact of Covid-19," IATA said. Capacity decreased 17.7 per cent - the largest fall since early 2013. Cargo capacity in China dropped sharply in February, driven in large part by the collapse of belly-hold capacity.
"North American airlines saw demand decrease by 1.8 per cent in February 2020, compared with the same period a year earlier. Capacity increased by 4.1 per cent. Cargo traffic on the Asia-North America trade lanes decreased by 2.4 per cent year on year as a result of factory closures in Asia due to Covid-19," IATA explained.
European airlines posted a 4.1 per cent decrease in cargo demand in February 2020 compared with the same period a year earlier. European carriers were among the first to cancel flights to and from Asia, contributing to the drop in demand in February, reports London's Air Cargo News.
Middle Eastern airlines' cargo demand increased 4.3 per cent in February 2020 compared with the year-ago period. Capacity increased by 6.0 per cent.
However, IATA said that given the Middle East's position connecting trade between China and the rest of the world, the region's carriers have significant exposure to the impact of Covid-19 in the period ahead.
Latin American airlines experienced an increase in freight demand in February 2020 of 1.8 per cent. Capacity decreased by 2.6 per cent year on year. The region was relatively unaffected by the outbreak in February.
African carriers posted the fastest growth of any region for the 12th consecutive month in February 2020, with an increase in demand of 6.2 per cent. Capacity grew 3 per cent and the Africa-Asia and Africa-Middle East trade lanes continue to bring robust growth to the region.
According to IATA cargo tonne kms (CTK) dropped by 1.3 per cent year on year in February, while cargo capacity was down by 4.4 per cent and the average load factor improved by 1.5 percentage points to 46.4 per cent.
However, IATA said that if seasonal effects are taken into account - the timing of the Chinese New Year holiday and an extra leap day due to the leap year - the drop off in cargo traffic would have been much larger at 9.1 per cent. This is the largest ever drop off in terms of seasonally adjusted demand.
The worst affected carriers were those based in the Asia Pacific region.
IATA director general and chief executive Alexandre de Juniac said: "The spread of COVID-19 intensified over the month of February, and with it, the impact on air cargo.
"Adjusted demand for air cargo fell by 9.1 per cent. Asia-Pacific carriers were the most affected with a seasonally adjusted drop of 15.5 per cent. What has unfolded since is a story of two halves.
"The disruption of global supply chains led to a fall in demand. But the dramatic disruption in passenger traffic resulted in even deeper cuts to cargo capacity.
"And the industry is struggling to serve remaining demand with the limited capacity available. We only got a first glimpse of this in February. Among all the uncertainty in this crisis, one thing is clear - air cargo is vital.
"It is delivering lifesaving drugs and medical equipment. And it is supporting global supply chains. That's why it is critical for governments to remove any blockers as the industry does all it can to keep the global air cargo network functioning in the crisis and ready for the recovery."
Asia-Pacific airlines saw demand for air cargo contract by 2.2 per cent in February 2020, compared with the year-earlier period. Seasonally-adjusted cargo demand fell by 15.5 per cent compared to January 2020, to levels last seen in early 2014.
"The drop in demand was largely due to the impact of Covid-19," IATA said. Capacity decreased 17.7 per cent - the largest fall since early 2013. Cargo capacity in China dropped sharply in February, driven in large part by the collapse of belly-hold capacity.
"North American airlines saw demand decrease by 1.8 per cent in February 2020, compared with the same period a year earlier. Capacity increased by 4.1 per cent. Cargo traffic on the Asia-North America trade lanes decreased by 2.4 per cent year on year as a result of factory closures in Asia due to Covid-19," IATA explained.
European airlines posted a 4.1 per cent decrease in cargo demand in February 2020 compared with the same period a year earlier. European carriers were among the first to cancel flights to and from Asia, contributing to the drop in demand in February, reports London's Air Cargo News.
Middle Eastern airlines' cargo demand increased 4.3 per cent in February 2020 compared with the year-ago period. Capacity increased by 6.0 per cent.
However, IATA said that given the Middle East's position connecting trade between China and the rest of the world, the region's carriers have significant exposure to the impact of Covid-19 in the period ahead.
Latin American airlines experienced an increase in freight demand in February 2020 of 1.8 per cent. Capacity decreased by 2.6 per cent year on year. The region was relatively unaffected by the outbreak in February.
African carriers posted the fastest growth of any region for the 12th consecutive month in February 2020, with an increase in demand of 6.2 per cent. Capacity grew 3 per cent and the Africa-Asia and Africa-Middle East trade lanes continue to bring robust growth to the region.