THE International Air Transport Association (IATA), released freight traffic forecasts projecting that in 2011 the air transport industry will handle 36 million tonnes of international freight (7.5 million tonnes more than in 2006).

International freight volumes are expected to grow at an AAGR of 4.8 per cent over the forecast period, supported by economic growth, globalisation and trade. Strong price competition from other modes of transport is expected to keep freight demand growth below the 6.2 per cent AAGR recorded for 2002-2006.

“Parts of the world are effectively managing infrastructure development to anticipate and meet demand – particularly the Middle East and China. But the enormous anticipated expansion in India that has fuelled record aircraft orders could be cut short by insufficient airport and air traffic management capacity. The unprecedented delays nightmare in the US, is a clear example of the paralysis that results when we miss the mark on effective planning. This is mirrored in Europe where governments still have not cleaned up the mess in air traffic management with an effective Single European Sky. In total, infrastructure inefficiency – from bottlenecks to inefficient processes – adds 12 per cent to our fuel bill and costs the environment 73 million tonnes of unnecessary CO2 emissions each year,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA director.