Global air freight demand and capacity registered significant growth in January this year according to data released by the International Air Transport Association (Iata) yesterday.
Air freight demand rose by 8% compared to January 2017, up from the 5.8% growth recorded in December last year, while freight capacity rose 4.2%.
All regions reported an increase in demand in January - African carriers’ saw an increase of 12.9%.
Iata’s director general and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, said the 8% growth was a solid start to 2018 for air cargo. “That follows an exceptional year in which demand grew by 9%. We expect demand for air cargo to taper to a more normal 4.5% growth rate for 2018. But there are potential headwinds. If President Trump follows through on his promise to impose sanctions on aluminium and steel imports, there is a very real risk of a trade war. Nobody wins when protectionist measures escalate," he said.
