REGIONAL Asia Pacific airlines suffered a year-on-year 10.4 per cent drop in air cargo volume in September, and only a modest uptick is expected in the final quarter that has been traditionally regarded as he industries peak season, reports London's Loadstar.
The September increase, measured in freight tonne km (FTK), occurred while cargo capacity expanded 5.9 per cent, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (PA). As a result, the average load factor was down 11.4 percentage points, to 64 per cent.
PA said cargo markets remained under pressure due to depressed business and consumer confidence levels.
Said P director general Subhas Menon: 'The outlook for the cargo market remains subdued in the near term. Overall, the region's airlines continue to face a challenging operating environment, with costs under pressure as a result of high fuel prices and weak local currencies.'
While air freight rates in Asia have been dropping in recent months, there was a 'short-lived price increase in the first half of October', due to cancelled flights from China during Golden Week and high demand for e-commerce cargo, according to Taiwanese forwarder Dimerco.
In its October freight update for Asia Pacific, it said: 'With a reduction in shipment volume in the South-east Asia market, airlines are now willing to negotiate prices on high-quantity shipments and offer special ad-hoc rates for some outbound shipments from countries such as Indonesia and Thailand.'
Furthermore, Dimerco said, US volumes showed 'a continued weak trend with no signs of a peak season spike'.
Scan Global Logistics (SGL) took a similarly cautious outlook in its October advisory, noting the 'sudden slump in demand' had left air cargo carriers in 'limbo'.
SeaNews Turkey
The September increase, measured in freight tonne km (FTK), occurred while cargo capacity expanded 5.9 per cent, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (PA). As a result, the average load factor was down 11.4 percentage points, to 64 per cent.
PA said cargo markets remained under pressure due to depressed business and consumer confidence levels.
Said P director general Subhas Menon: 'The outlook for the cargo market remains subdued in the near term. Overall, the region's airlines continue to face a challenging operating environment, with costs under pressure as a result of high fuel prices and weak local currencies.'
While air freight rates in Asia have been dropping in recent months, there was a 'short-lived price increase in the first half of October', due to cancelled flights from China during Golden Week and high demand for e-commerce cargo, according to Taiwanese forwarder Dimerco.
In its October freight update for Asia Pacific, it said: 'With a reduction in shipment volume in the South-east Asia market, airlines are now willing to negotiate prices on high-quantity shipments and offer special ad-hoc rates for some outbound shipments from countries such as Indonesia and Thailand.'
Furthermore, Dimerco said, US volumes showed 'a continued weak trend with no signs of a peak season spike'.
Scan Global Logistics (SGL) took a similarly cautious outlook in its October advisory, noting the 'sudden slump in demand' had left air cargo carriers in 'limbo'.
SeaNews Turkey
