admin
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said African airlines recorded the largest year-on-year increase in demand compared to other regions in May this year, with freight volumes growing by 27,6 percent.The robust recent performance of air freight has been set against a stronger global economic and trade backdrop.
The industry already supports 6.8 million jobs and generates $72,5 billion of economic activity on the continent.
IATA represents some 265 airlines accounting for 83 percent of global air traffic.
African and Latin American airlines fly a relatively small proportion of global air cargo between them which is less than 5 percent of total international freight ton kilometres (FTKs).
The global air freight markets data that IATA recently released shows that capacity for African airlines went up by 14,7 percent over the same period.
The association said the continued growth of air freight demand was consistent with an improvement in world trade.
“Demand has been boosted by very strong growth on the trade lanes to and from Asia which have increased by nearly 57 percent so far this year. However seasonally adjusted growth has levelled off in recent months,” IATA said, adding that the market to and from Asia had continued to grow strongly.
IATA noted that African carriers topped the international growth chart in May this year for the “seventh time” in nine months, with volumes up by 28,8 percent year-on-year that month.
The global data by the association covers six regions which include the Asia Pacific airlines, North American Carriers, European airlines, Middle Eastern carriers, Latin American airlines, and African carriers.
IATA said regardless of these developments, the outlook for air freight in all regions was optimistic with demand expected to grow at a robust rate of 8 percent during the third quarter of this year. – New Ziana.
Online Reporter