Freighter demand remains strong amid Iran war

Demand for air cargo services remains steady as the Iran war continues, according to industry leaders speaking today at Cargo Facts EMEA in Brussels. “Have we seen a change in demand? No is the answer — not at all,” Graham Perkins, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa for Atlas Air, said during the opening panel. “Quite the opposite.” [caption id="attachment_57296602" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Cargo Facts Editor Jeff Lee, far left, moderates a panel with, from left, Rainer Mueller of Compass Air Cargo; Graham Perkins of Atlas Air; and Jan Philipp Poter of Teleport. (Photo/Cargo Facts)[/caption] While freighter operators repositioned crews, aircraft and families at the outbreak of the war that started on Feb. 28, many carriers only had to realign their strategies as demand increased, Perkins said. “Our ACMI and our charter operations are robust, and we're very happy with the way that's all worked out, but it was a very, very planned approach,” he said. Strategic realignment Atlas Air’s strategy included learning about the rhythm of war, which has high- and low-peak periods, Perkins said. Atlas was able to find a “sweet spot” by monitoring the battle rhythm, fuel and insurance costs, and moving its freighters in and out of the Middle East during low activity, he said. The carrier has resumed freighter operations in the region, including a 777F flying in ACMI service for Etihad Cargo . “And, on the charter side, the demand is strong,” Perkins said. “And whatever is coming up, we can actually address it … We're open to all the opportunities now, and looking at stations that customers now want to go back into, and doing it very openly, as opposed to pushing back.” Market recovery Even though the war caused carriers to pause operations or reroute freighters, the market is showing signs of recovery, Compass Air Cargo Chief Commercial Officer Rainer Mueller said during the discussion. “From my point of view, demand, with all the capacity fluctuations, is more or less stable and recovered rather quickly,” Mueller said. We also must be mindful that in the beginning, the first five days [of the Iran war], I think it was still Chinese New Year, so that was a positive on our side, and there was Easter.” There is more activity on direct routes between Asia and Europe, which could change as capacity recovers in the Middle East and the industry stabilizes, he said. The war will not stop Teleport from building a hub in Bahrain to support growing demand for e-commerce, Chief Business Officer Jan Philipp Poter said during the conference. “The Middle East is still an emerging e-commerce market. So, there is a purpose for moving things into the region itself,” he said. “And it is a jumping board, obviously, both for freight operators and some of the world's largest passenger airlines who fly in and out of that region. So, for us, it is important to build a hub.” Teleport has also been encouraged by the support from the Bahrain government, Poter said. “I've been speaking to our colleagues, especially from the government in Bahrain, throughout the crisis,” he said. “The good thing is they are safe. I think they are still optimistic about the future, and they're still very hungry to go forward with this. So we are ready to go.” Follow Cargo Facts’ daily coverage of Cargo Facts EMEA 2026 .

Freighter demand remains strong amid Iran war

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