August cargo traffic finishes summer with global growth

Total air cargo traffic grew 4.4% year over year in August thanks to strong performance in all regions — including the Middle East — with North America seeing the greatest growth at 6.6%, according to IATA’s August traffic and capacity report. Meanwhile, Africa saw the most significant capacity jump, at 14% YoY, in the Sept. 29 report. Ethiopian Airlines’ order for eight 777-8Fs and two 777Fs could significantly increase dedicated freighter capacity in Africa while reducing the region’s dependency on overseas carriers, including Lufthansa and KLM, Tim van Leeuwen, vice president and head of consulting at data aggregator Rotate, told Cargo Facts. However, because Ethiopian operates freighters on behalf of other entities, such as DHL, additional 777 freighters in Ethiopian’s fleet might be deployed on Europe-Asia lanes and therefore not serve the African market directly, he added. Ethiopian itself has yet to announce along what lanes the aircraft will be deployed. More broadly, traffic, which measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), grew 5.3% for international operations while capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), contracted 0.1% domestically, even as it grew 0.1% internationally, according to IATA. [caption id="attachment_57299247" align="aligncenter" width="754"] (Courtesy/IATA)[/caption] Performance Trade lane performance continued to be divided in August. Although most regions saw modest to significant growth, those connected to the Middle East contracted: Asia-North America grew 13.2%, the seventh consecutive month of growth; Intra-Asia grew 6.1%, the thirty-fourth consecutive month of growth. Europe-North America grew 4.3%, the fourth consecutive month of growth; Europe-Asia grew 3.1%, the forty-second consecutive month of growth; Middle East-Asia contracted 11%, the sixth consecutive month of contraction; Africa-Asia contracted 11.9%, the third consecutive month of contraction; and Europe-Middle East contracted 12.1%, the sixth consecutive month of contraction; The 3.1% growth along Europe-Asia lanes is well below the double-digit rates for the preceding eleven months, IATA noted in its Air Cargo Market Analysis for the month of August. The slowdown coincided with the European Union’s removal on July 1 of the 150 euro de minimis duty exemption on low-value consignments. The resulting 3 euro customs duty on low-value imports might have tempered e-commerce flows into Europe, IATA said in its analysis. Direct freighter capacity between China and Europe dropped in line with demand in July, suggesting capacity adjusted to lower e-commerce demand, Rotate Chief Executive Ryan Keyrouse told Cargo Facts. However, in August e-commerce demand on Asia-Europe lanes fell 40% compared with June, according to Rotate’s figures, Keyrouse said. External factors The IATA traffic report noted the external factors affecting air cargo traffic: Global trade increased 7.5% YoY; Jet fuel prices rose 12.2% in August over July, and were 56.9% higher than a year prior; and The Global Manufacturing Output Purchasing Managers’ Index and the New Export Orders Index were above the 50-point expansion threshold, indicating support for air cargo demand. “Trade volumes were 6% above their year-earlier level, marking the thirty-third consecutive month of annual growth,” IATA said in its market analysis. “The sustained rise in global trade provided a supportive backdrop for air cargo demand, while the modest monthly increase pointed to steady rather than rapidly strengthening trade momentum.” Cargo Facts Symposium 2026, the premier event for the freighter aircraft and air cargo industries, will take place in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 21-23. Find out more and register here .

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