Strong e-commerce volumes and shifting trade patterns are driving optimism in the air cargo sector, though capacity constraints and yield imbalances pose challenges, reports London's Air Cargo News.

At the Air Cargo Event in Liege, industry leaders said tariffs have disrupted trade lanes, but cargo volumes continue to grow, with China redirecting e-commerce flows to Europe and expanding exports of industrial goods.

Liege Airport reported a 13 per cent rise in tonnage over the first eight months of 2025, with July and August up 14 and 29 per cent respectively. Secondary hubs like Budapest are also seeing growth.

Marco Bloemen of Aevean noted that laptops assembled in Vietnam have replaced Chinese volumes, while India has emerged as the top US smartphone trading partner.

Despite positive trends, concerns remain. Ocean shipping is becoming more viable, and unpredictable US tariffs and geopolitical risks could impact air cargo demand.

The biggest issue is capacity. E-commerce moved 4 million tons last year and is expected to exceed that in 2025, but fleet planning has not kept pace. Boeing and Airbus cannot meet aircraft demand.

Mr Bloemen said aircraft are flying up to 15 block hours daily, with operators competing for space. Yield imbalances are also growing, especially on Asia��urope and transpacific routes.

He warned that the industry is facing a fundamentally different business model, with one-way flows and network design challenges requiring close monitoring and adaptation.