Air freight market leaders are now Middle Eastern, African carriers

MIDDLE Eastern and African air cargo carriers achieved higher volumes in September, with traffic rising 16.3 per cent and 4.1 per cent, respectively, compared to the same month a year earlier.

On the other hand, Middle East carriers only managed a freight load factor of 46.1 per cent in September, while African airlines recorded a load factor of 24.1 per cent, the lowest in any region, reports Air Cargo World, and only 0.6 per cent up year-on-year.

According to figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), African airlines offered more available freight space in September, boosting capacity by 1.4 per cent year-on-year. Middle Eastern carriers increased capacity 6.9 per cent in September.

Global cargo volumes in September were up 0.6 per cent year-on-year, despite reducing capacity by 0.6 per cent. Capacity utilisation also improved slightly in September, with the freight load factor rising from 45.1 per cent to 45.6 per cent year on year.

Although cargo improved moderately from a year-on-year perspective, September' s volumes lagged 0.6 per cent from August 2012, which IATA said was the second month-on-month cargo decline in recent months.

September freight volumes were weak in North America and Latin America. North American cargo carriers saw traffic drop 1.1 per cent in September on a 3.1 per cent drop in capacity. The freight load factor in North America was up slightly by 0.7 per cent compared to the same month a year earlier to 35.2 per cent.

Asia Pacific cargo carriers saw lower freight demand in September as well, with volumes falling 1.6 per cent year-on-year on a three per cent capacity drop.

Capacity also outmatched demand in Europe in September. According to IATA, European carriers offered 1.2 per cent more freight space than in September 2011, despite demand falling 0.4 per cent.

Latin American carriers achieved a higher load factor than their North American counterparts at 37.8 per cent, although this figure was down 4.1 per cent against September 2011. Also dipping in September was Latin American freight demand. Volumes in the region slowed 1.6 per cent, year-on-year on 9 per cent higher capacity.