BANNING Russian airlines such as AirBridgeCargo from European airspace has removed much freighter capacity from the Asia-Europe market, reports IHS Media.
'As china has indicated that their zero Covid strategy will persist until at least 2023, we have to assume problems will continue through to the end of the year,' said Association of Asia Pacific Airlines director general Subhas Menon.
'China's bottleneck is purely in the hands of the Chinese government,' Mr Menon said. 'As they ease lockdowns and shutdowns, the constraints at manufacturing bases and ports will ease. Flights can resume and relieve the shipping congestion.'
International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general Willie Walsh, said capacity cuts from China's zero-Covid policy, combined with labour shortages, had led to a drop in April's global air cargo demand of 11.2 per cent year over year and a two per cent drop in capacity, with most of that contraction recorded in Asia.
'The combination of the war in Ukraine and Covid lockdowns in China have pushed up energy costs, intensified supply chain disruptions and fed inflation,' Mr Walsh said. 'The operating environment is challenging for all businesses, including air cargo.'
Shawn Richard, vice president of global air freight at SEKO Logistics, said airlines were slowly coming back to serve the Asia region and transpacific rates have 'cooled off', which suggested a softening of demand.
Russia's war in Ukraine is having a particularly negative impact on the Asia-Europe air cargo trade lane. Western airlines can no longer fly over Russia, which adds transit time when jet fuel prices are at record highs. And Russian airlines such as AirBridgeCargo cannot operate outside the country, removing significant freighter capacity from the market.
'The conflict in Ukraine is going on indefinitely, which imposes payload restrictions and additional fuel and operational costs on airlines on the trunk corridors,' said Mr Menon.
SeaNews Turkey
'As china has indicated that their zero Covid strategy will persist until at least 2023, we have to assume problems will continue through to the end of the year,' said Association of Asia Pacific Airlines director general Subhas Menon.
'China's bottleneck is purely in the hands of the Chinese government,' Mr Menon said. 'As they ease lockdowns and shutdowns, the constraints at manufacturing bases and ports will ease. Flights can resume and relieve the shipping congestion.'
International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general Willie Walsh, said capacity cuts from China's zero-Covid policy, combined with labour shortages, had led to a drop in April's global air cargo demand of 11.2 per cent year over year and a two per cent drop in capacity, with most of that contraction recorded in Asia.
'The combination of the war in Ukraine and Covid lockdowns in China have pushed up energy costs, intensified supply chain disruptions and fed inflation,' Mr Walsh said. 'The operating environment is challenging for all businesses, including air cargo.'
Shawn Richard, vice president of global air freight at SEKO Logistics, said airlines were slowly coming back to serve the Asia region and transpacific rates have 'cooled off', which suggested a softening of demand.
Russia's war in Ukraine is having a particularly negative impact on the Asia-Europe air cargo trade lane. Western airlines can no longer fly over Russia, which adds transit time when jet fuel prices are at record highs. And Russian airlines such as AirBridgeCargo cannot operate outside the country, removing significant freighter capacity from the market.
'The conflict in Ukraine is going on indefinitely, which imposes payload restrictions and additional fuel and operational costs on airlines on the trunk corridors,' said Mr Menon.
SeaNews Turkey