SA becomes BA's best cargo route

Anna Cox THE SOUTH African market has become the best worldwide in terms of cargo and freight, said David Shepherd, area manager for Africa of British Airways World Cargo. Part of a top-level team which visited South Africa recently from the UK, Shepherd said this country was bucking the trend in terms of cargo economics and was proving to be one of BA's strongest markets. "The strong demand with lower capacity due to the withdrawal of several airlines in recent months has caused a hardening of rates. This is a 180 degree reversal of what is happening in the rest of the world," he said. Shepherd said the capacity for cargo in SA was now right and there was a natural balance and equilibrium which had stabilised the freight and cargo market. Booming industries include export fish, especially kingklip from the Cape, and auto spares.