Dubai: Global air cargo demand posted another month of growth in November - but it's not all smooth sailing as capacity constraints hound the industry.
"We are seeing continuing month-on-month improvements - [but] severe capacity constraints persist as large parts of the passenger fleet remain grounded," said Alexandre de Juniac, Director-General and CEO at the aviation industry grouping IATA. "This will put pressure on the industry as it gears up to deliver vital COVID-19 vaccines.”
Need for space
Global capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers, shrunk 20 per cent in November - nearly three times larger than the contraction in demand. In the Middle East, carriers reported a decline of 2.2 per cent in year-on-year international cargo volumes in November.
"The lack of international connectivity is hampering air cargo recovery in the region," IATA said in a statement. "However, seasonally adjusted demand remains on an upward trend."
