KUALA LUMPUR: Global demand for air cargo, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK), grew 3.9 per cent in July from a year earlier, while international demand rose 4.7 per cent, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.
Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres, increased 1.7 per cent from July 2025, or 1.8 per cent for international operations.
IATA senior vice-president for Sustainability and chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen said airlines in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America accounted for more than 90 per cent of the overall increase, although all regions recorded growth.
"Dedicated freighters gained market share as belly-hold traffic declined, possibly reflecting demand for larger or specialist shipments and the operational flexibility that freighters can provide,” she said in a statement on Monday.
Looking ahead, the outlook remained broadly positive, supported by manufacturing activity, export orders and global trade, Thomsen said.
However, higher fuel prices, geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainty remained risks to the outlook, she added. - Bernama
