Cargo
Opportunity knocks for air cargo as e-commerce grows 40
Air cargo has been the one bright spot for the industry during the pandemic. The sector is close to 5% above pre-crisis levels and both load factors and yields have grown. WORDS: GRAHAM NEWTON
Airlines 2021 – 02
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n 2021, IATA estimates cargo will represent some 30% of total revenues, a significant increase from the usual 12% average. And the good times will continue to roll. This year, cargo tonne kilometers (CTK) will grow more than 13% over 2020 levels and carriers will increase their share of cross-border trade. In other words, air cargo is growing faster than other modes of transport. Moreover, IATA business confidence surveys of cargo heads reveal plenty of optimism for the year ahead.
Online shopping
strongly pre-crisis, lockdowns across the world have only served to accelerate people’s penchant for buying goods online. Even major markets such as the United States and China have moved at least a couple of years ahead of schedule. Worldwide, e-commerce is valued at about $5 trillion in 2021. Approximately 80% of cross-border e-commerce is transported by air, which represents more than 20% of global e-commerce value. But realizing the full potential of e-commerce requires significant changes. “E-commerce is digital by nature,” explains Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Head of E-Commerce and Cargo Operations. “Air cargo
There are a number of reasons for such positivity, including the continuing distribution of vaccines and medical equipment, and the need to facilitate the strong rebound in global trade. But perhaps the brightest star on the horizon is e-commerce. Growing
airlines.iata.org
24/06/2021 16:20
