First NCA aircraft returns to service

On 4 July, Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA) announced that a single 747-8F (36141) passed a government safety audit, and was cleared to return to service. Shortly after, on 5 July, the aircraft went on to complete a round-trip flight between Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) – the carrier’s first scheduled own-operated flight since […]

• Charles Kauffman
• July 5, 2018

Demand flattens and yields soar in March… Or maybe not

Two weeks ago, when we looked at the March air freight data from some of the early-reporting major carriers, airports, and handlers, it was clear that, for most of the world, demand growth had dwindled to almost nothing. The exception was three big carriers from the Americas – United, Delta, and LATAM – all of […]

• David Harris
• May 2, 2018

Air freight rates continue to rise

There are patterns underlying the trends in air freight demand and rates. Even within an overall trend of rising demand, for example, we still expect to see traffic peak during “peak season,” then subside through December, January, and February, rise to a brief mini-peak in the spring, then subside again slightly in the summer until […]

• David Harris
• March 29, 2018

2018 starts with strong demand – what about Chinese New Year?

As we always point out at this time of year, air freight demand growth statistics for January must be treated with considerable skepticism. The variable timing of the Chinese New Year holiday can push traffic that would normally move in January to February, or vice versa. Therefore, it makes sense to wait for the February […]

• David Harris
• February 15, 2018

Saudia Cargo reactivates four 777Fs

Last week we reported that Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways had parked all five of its A330-200Fs at the end of 2017. At first glance, this did not significantly change the main-deck capacity offered by the Middle East’s four major carriers, because it came just after Saudia reactivated its four owned 777Fs – which had been […]

• David Harris
• January 23, 2018

No drop in rates as 2017 ends

In early December, online freight pricing platform Freightos warned shippers that, for the first time in at least ten years, they might have to bear “sky-high air rates” for the remainder of the year to get their shipments loaded. Freightos WebCargo’s CEO Manel Galindo added that the capacity crunch in Europe had “triggered holiday-season auctions, […]

• David Harris
• December 28, 2017

A November to remember

While demand for air freight remained strong in September and October, the year-over-year rate of demand growth began to fall from the double-digit heights achieved in the first eight months of the year as the tougher comparisons of late 2016 began to kick in. But despite the solid demand growth in November 2016, early reports […]

• David Harris
• December 19, 2017

2017 – the view at the halfway point

Unlike sporting events, the air freight business doesn’t have a half-time break. Work goes on without a break – around the world, around the clock, around the year. But the calendar says today is the last day of the first half of the year, so, even though business continues without a break, today is a […]

• David Harris
• June 30, 2017

Exceptional cargo gains at Cathay and Turkish

After a very poor start in 2016, air freight demand began growing in the second half, and a strong peak season brought the full-year increase in cargo traffic to 3.2% above 2015 level. Still, 2017 began with everyone nervous about  the possibility that, after the strong peak, demand growth would fall back to the lackluster […]

• David Harris
• April 20, 2017

The widebody freighter fleet — part IV

Today we conclude our four-part analysis of the worldwide widebody freighter fleet. In the first three parts we looked at the composition of the fleet as it stands at the beginning of 2017, and how it has changed over the last twelve months. You can read Part I here, Part II here, and Part III […]

• David Harris
• February 10, 2017