WORLD airfreight traffic growth slowed in March, showing a rise of only 2.3 per cent against a 2.7 per cent increase in March 2006, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA).

"Competition from other modes of transport - particularly sea - is holding growth below our forecast of 5.5 per cent in 2007," said IATA director general Giovanni Bisignani.



Middle East carriers led all regions with 12.7 per cent year on year in March due to service expansion and increases in perishable goods.



Asian demand was up 4.5 per cent with IATA ascribing the increase to strong regional trade growth while conceding the rise was blemished by lower load factors on inbound services. African carriers experienced a 3.1 per cent increase.



But airlines in Europe suffered a fall in demand of 1 per cent with North America demand declining 0.9 per cent and Latin America's by 6.9 per cent.