Global air freight volumes rose 3.2 per cent year on year in the first quarter driven by improvements in world trade and economic recovery, says the Airports Council International (ACI).
"The recent revival in the air freight market is a direct by-product of the improvements in world trade and the recovery in advanced economies," said ACI economics director Rafael Echevarne.
"Despite the fact that many Asian airports have performed well, the risk and relative weakness in the Chinese economy continues to persist. The outlook for air freight in the short term should be viewed with cautious optimism."
Airport passenger traffic worldwide increased 2.4 per cent year on year in March, slipping 1.8 points from February's 4.2 per cent growth rate, reported Washington-area Air Transport World.
European airports exhibited the most significant air cargo performance in March, with total freight traffic up six per cent, with the region's domestic freight growing 8.6 per cent and international cargo rising by 5.9 per cent.
Strong overall air cargo growth was also seen in the Asia-Pacific region, up 5.2 per cent, mainly due to strong first-quarter freight traffic performance at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, up 6.9 per cent; Incheon International Airport, up 6.1 per cent; and Hong Kong International Airport, up 5.6 per cent.
Total air freight tonnage in the Middle East grew by 4.3 per cent in March; North American air cargo volumes rose by 1.5 per cent. However, cargo volume fell in both the Africa region, down one per cent, and the Latin America-Caribbean region, down 2.2 per cent.
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