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Asian carriers record peak season cargo boost in October

ASIAN air carriers enjoyed an increase in October air cargo at the start of the annual peak season, but Air China posted its first year-on-year decline since 2013, reported London's Aircargonews.

Monthly figures from Asian airlines show all but one of the carriers saw demand pick up in October compared with September, but load factors continued to decline in most cases.

The big surprise came from rapidly-expanding Air China, which experienced 0.7 per cent decline to 557 million revenue freight tonne kilometres. This followed September's a 1.3 per cent increase.

During the rest of the year, the Air China posted double-digit year-on-year growth in cargo volume as monthly capacity rose 20 per cent but falling in September to 10 per cent.

Increases came with the delivery of two Boeing 777-200Fs last summer, which augmented its all-cargo line-up to eight 777s, three 747-400Fs and four Boeing 757-200Fs to provide for China Post's domestic needs.

The 747 freighters are deployed on intra-regional sectors and for charters, whereas the 777s serve routes to Europe and North America.

Air China's Europe routes had been cut back 30 per cent to five weekly to Frankfurt and Amsterdam, while flights to the US went up 45 per cent to 16 weekly.

Meanwhile, the carrier has also been rapidly expanding belly space this year with the addition of new passenger aircraft.

Cathay Pacific reported increased demand in October in line with the peak season. "Demand for air freight continued to climb as we moved into the traditional peak period," said Cathay cargo chief Mark Sutch.

Only China Southern failed to post an increase, though September tends to be a strong. But expectations are high that volumes will return in November, the traditionally the airline's busiest month.

China Southern, which along with Air China has been growing rapidly, recorded a year-on-year demand increase of 11.3 per cent, while capacity was up 16.2 per cent.

China Eastern meanwhile saw load factors decline as a result of an upsurge in capacity of 14.2 per cent compared with October last year, said the report.

Taiwan's China Airlines recorded a year-on-year demand decline in October for the fifth month in a row as demand slid 2.2 per cent on a year earlier, it said.

Eva Air recorded the largest year-on-year decline in demand in October as traffic slipped by 14.4 per cent, while cargo capacity was down 7.8 per cent and its load factor was down to 81.9 per cent from 88 per cent last year.

Singapore Airlines Cargo posted its second biggest increase of the year, with demand jumping by 9.8 per cent on a year earlier. Supply was up by 9.1 per cent, its largest increase of the year, meaning it managed to increase load factor to 65 per cent from 64.6 per cent.