Air cargo’s top performer slumps

Asia-Pacific, the region that has been topping the world in cargo volumes and growth in recent years, has currently entered what is a slump for such a normally bustling airfreight marketplace. International air cargo demand and capacity dropped by 4.5% and 4.1% respectively in March in the Asia-Pacific region compared with the same month last year, reports the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). Contrastingly, passenger numbers grew by 9.4% and available seat capacity expanded by 5.6%, the association added. Andrew Herdman, director general of the trade association, blamed “a soft market and lingering concerns over weakening consumer demand, particularly in Europe” for the poor cargo results.