Air Cargo Demand Recovers

The International Air Transport Association( IA TA) has released its January 2021 data for global air cargo markets. The report showed that air cargo demand returned top re-C OVID levels( January 2019) for the first time since the onset of the crisis. January demand also showed strong month-to-month growth over December 2020 levels. Global demand, measured in cargo ton ne-kilometers( CT Ks ), was up 1.1 per cent compared to January 2019 and three percent compared to December 2020. All regions saw month-on-month improvement in air cargo demand, and North America and Africa were the strongest performers. The recovery in global capacity, measured in available cargo ton ne-kilometers (ACT Ks ), was reversed owing to new capacity cut son the passenger side. Capacity sh rank 19.5 percent, compared to January 2019, and fell five percent, compared to December 2020, the first monthly decline since April 2020. The IATA said the operating backdrop remained supportive for air cargo volumes: Conditions in the manufacturing sector remain robust despite new C OVID -19 out breaks that dragged down passenger demand. “The global manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index( PM I) was at 53.5 in January. Results above 50 indicate manufacturing growth versus the priormonth. “The new export orders component of the manufacturing PM I–a leading indicator of air cargo demand–continued to point to further CT K improvement. However, the performance of the metric was less robust compared with Q42020 as COVID-19 resurgence negatively impacted export business in emerging markets. Should this continue or expand to other markers, it could weigh on future air cargo growth ”, it stated. It added that the level of inventories remained relatively low compared to salesvolume.