Singapore Airlines, EVA shatter cargo load factor records in January

Although traffic continues to reflect available air cargo capacity and remained lower in annual comparisons for the first month of 2021, cargo load factors remain significantly elevated in preliminary traffic reports from Asia-based cargo carriers. Taiwan-based EVA Air reported cargo load factors up 22.3 percentage points in January, to 93.9%. Previously, the carrier’s highest-reported load factor was 93.6% for the month of December 2020. Cargo traffic, measured in freight tonne kilometers, rose 34% to 271.2 million FTKs. Cargo revenue jumped 150% compared to January 2020, to $171.6 million. [caption id="attachment_415407" align="alignright" width="560"] Singapore Airlines has removed seats on two 777-300ER passenger aircraft to increase capacity for cargo-only flights. (Photo/Singapore Airlines)[/caption] Echoing the rise in load factors, Singapore Airlines reported January cargo load factors of 89.2%, an increase of 37.0 percentage points from January 2020 and a record for the carrier. All regions saw record cargo load factors, with the East Asia region measuring load factors of 96.6%, and West Asia and Africa clocking load factors of 107.3%. The load factor boost reflects unchanged capacity assumptions for cargo-only flying utilizing passenger aircraft. “Cargo capacity for passenger aircraft is based on the payload that is typically set aside for cargo carriage. However, when a passenger aircraft operates with low passenger loads or on a pure cargo mission, the cargo carried could be in excess of such capacity,” Singapore Airlines said in a traffic release. Singapore Airlines’ cargo division reported a 17.6% decline in January cargo traffic compared to the same month in 2020, reflecting a 51.8% drop in capacity from significantly lower passenger flight activity. The carrier operates a freighter fleet comprising seven relatively young factory-built 747-400Fs ranging in age from fifteen to twenty years old. The situation was similar for Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific , which reported January cargo traffic down 21.7% YoY to 670 million FTKs, despite an 81.1% drop in flight movements compared to the previous year. Cargo and mail load factors were up 19.3 percentage points YoY, to 79.4%. Tonnage was down 28.3%, to 109,000 tonnes. “Cargo demand from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland slowed down somewhat in the first two weeks of January, but started to strengthen in the second half as we approached the Chinese New Year holiday,” said Ronald Lam, group chief customer and commercial officer, commenting on January traffic. “Perishables, live seafood, and automotive and electronic products provided substantial growth in priority and special cargo volumes,” Lam said. During the month of January, Cathay Pacific supplemented freighter capacity with 489 roundtrip cargo-only passenger flights and additional charter flying by subsidiary Air Hong Kong. Japan-based ANA Cargo does not break out cargo load factors, but reported total cargo tonnage up 5% to 92,000 tonnes on higher international cargo traffic. Domestic tonnage dropped 33.5% YoY to 18,000 tonnes but was offset by a 22.5% increase in international tonnage, to 74,000 tonnes. In recent months, ANA Cargo has been positioning its freighter fleet to cater to international opportunities. Last month, our sister publication Air Cargo World reported ANA Cargo’s plans to shutter its 767 freighter operation out of Okinawa and move the fleet to Tokyo . Since 2019, the carrier has also operated a pair of 777Fs. Cargo Facts Asia, taking place April 20-21 as a virtual experience, is the event for exploring opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region. The event continues to bring together the best, brightest, and most innovative executives in the global air cargo industry. Learn more and register at www.cargofactsasia.com .

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