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World airports show air freight recovering in richer countries

WORLD airports saw cargo volumes increase 0.5 per cent in the first half as demand slowed in emerging markets and developing economies and signs of a recovery surfaced in advanced economies.

Montreal-based Airports Council International (ACI) figures show the 0.5 per cent growth rate in global freight volumes comprised a 0.3 per cent increase in international freight and one per cent in domestic freight, reported London's Air Cargo News.

"The lacklustre performance of global industrial activity and trade due to China's economic transition, the weak growth of the Japanese economy and the weaker than expected growth of the US, combined with recessions in Brazil and Russia," ACI said.

Three regions saw cargo demand at airports decline during the first half: North America was down 2.1 per cent, Latin America-Caribbean by 0.9 per cent and Africa declined 0.1 per cent.

Asia-Pacific was up one per cent while Europe enjoyed a 2.3 per cent rise, while the Middle East grew by 4.5 per cent over the first six months.

ACI said that cargo demand in Africa varied from country to country with air freight traffic in South Africa increasing by 2.2 per cent, while Egypt recorded a 7.4 per cent decline, Kenya saw a 6.9 per cent slip and in Nigeria demand was down 1.7 per cent.

In the Asia Pacific region, total air freight traffic picked up at 5.9 per cent in June 2016, surpassing the year-to-date figure of one per cent.

China, accounting for over a third of air freight traffic in the region, grew 3.9 per cent in total freight. In Japan dropped 2.7 per cent during the first half.

Hong Kong saw a 0.8 per cent fall in international freight, while India posted a robust 9.6 per cent increase.

Korea posted 0.4 per cent increase in total air freight while Malaysia plummeted 18.5 per cent while Indonesia fell 8.8 per cent.

At the individual airport level, the highest growth in air freight was observed at Guangzhou (six per cent) Singapore (4.4 per cent) and Delhi (10.6 per cent).

At the same time, significant falls were seen at Kuala Lumpur, down 18.5 per cent, and Tokyo-Narita, which saw demand slide by 3.6 per cent.

In Europe, total air freight traffic grew 1.7 per cent in June 2016, which was slightly below the year-to-date figure of 2.3 per cent.

The three biggest air freight markets in the region were Germany, the UK and France. They reported growth of 1.9 per cent, 3.6 per cent and 3.6 per cent respectively during the first six months of 2016. Turkey reported sharp 12.4 per cent decline rate in air freight traffic at its major commercial airports.

At the individual airport level, the highest increases in air freight were recorded at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (4.2 per cent), Leipzig (6.7 per cent) and London-Heathrow (2.2 per cent).

Losses were recorded at Istanbul-Ataturk (-13.1 per cent) and Brussels (-6.8 per cent).

Total air freight traffic in Latin America-Caribbean fell 3.2 per cent in June 2016 and 0.9 per cent on a year-to-date basis.

While air freight in Brazil was down 9.4 per cent year-to-date, Colombia was up 0.3 per cent and Mexican demand increased 5.8 per cent.

Out of 22 countries in Latin America-Caribbean reporting air freight figures to ACI, 10 countries posted traffic losses, evidence of "the fragile state of the air freight industry in the region".

The Middle East recorded the highest increase in air freight compared with other regions at 4.5 per cent.

At the country level, Qatar was the largest contributor to air cargo growth in the region with Doha reporting a 20.3 per cent growth rate for the first half of the year.

At the individual airport level, the highest increases in air freight volumes were recorded at Memphis (2.1 per cent), Louisville (3.5 per cent) and Ontario (12 per cent).

During the same period, significant air freight losses were recorded at a number of airports, including Anchorage (-10.2 per cent), Chicago-O'Hare (-13.9 per cent) and Houston-George Bush (-20.3 per cent).