BANGLADESH air freight rates have doubled recently due to a spike by severe capacity crunch because of suspensions and growing demand from the Covid crisis, reports London's Loadstar.
Shippers are paying double than pre-pandemic rates for expedited shipments, with them declaring the ordeal as a big burden.
Air cargo operators are charging more than US$3.65 per kg to carry goods to European airports, compared to $1.80 in March. It's $6.20 to North America, up $2.85 in the last year.
Forty airlines were carrying cargo from Bangladesh prior to the Covid crisis, with half of them having to suspend flights and reduce frequency.
Apparel continues to be the top export out of Bangladesh to Europe and America, but the Covid crisis has impacted import markets, with lower sales there.
Bangladeshi apparel makers are receiving fewer orders and are experiencing frequent order suspensions, causing to bring down cargo volumes for air shipment.
Prior to the Covid crisis, 700 tonnes passed through Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport each day, with it now being 400 tonnes.
'Due to the fall in passenger traffic the number of flights has decreased drastically, thus the carriers increased the freight rates to cover losses,' said Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association vice president Syed Md Bakhtiar.
SeaNews Turkey
Shippers are paying double than pre-pandemic rates for expedited shipments, with them declaring the ordeal as a big burden.
Air cargo operators are charging more than US$3.65 per kg to carry goods to European airports, compared to $1.80 in March. It's $6.20 to North America, up $2.85 in the last year.
Forty airlines were carrying cargo from Bangladesh prior to the Covid crisis, with half of them having to suspend flights and reduce frequency.
Apparel continues to be the top export out of Bangladesh to Europe and America, but the Covid crisis has impacted import markets, with lower sales there.
Bangladeshi apparel makers are receiving fewer orders and are experiencing frequent order suspensions, causing to bring down cargo volumes for air shipment.
Prior to the Covid crisis, 700 tonnes passed through Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport each day, with it now being 400 tonnes.
'Due to the fall in passenger traffic the number of flights has decreased drastically, thus the carriers increased the freight rates to cover losses,' said Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association vice president Syed Md Bakhtiar.
SeaNews Turkey