Dubai: Middle Eastern airlines saw a 6.6 per cent year-on-year increase in freight volumes in November 2017, the slowest regional year-on-year growth for the second time in three months.
According to the latest report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the 6.6 per cent increase on Middle Eastern carriers compared to a 9.4 per cent increase in Latin America, and an increase of 9.9 per cent and 9.6 per cent in Europe and North America respectively in November.
Meanwhile, Asian Pacific airlines saw an 8.1 per cent year-on-year increase in freight volumes in November, as African carriers recorded the strongest increase of 17.5 per cent.
In its report, IATA said freight load factors have increased substantially on routes to and from the Middle East to North America, indicating a fall in capacity flown on the route. It added that seasonally-adjusted international freight volumes have continued to trend upwards at a rate of 8-10 per cent over the past six months.
Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director-general and chief executive officer, said air freight demand remained “robust”, and that the 8.8 per cent year-on-year growth in November indicates that 2017 will the strongest year for air cargo since 2010.
“There are several indicators that 2018 will be a good year as well. In particular, buoyant consumer confidence, the growth of international e-commerce, and the broad-based global economic upturn are cause for optimism,” de Juniac said in the report.
