IATA: Global Air Cargo Volume Bounces Back in January to Pre-Pandemic Levels

  • Date: 04-Mar-2021
  • Source: Al Bawaba
  • Sector:Tourism
  • Country:Middle East
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IATA: Global Air Cargo Volume Bounces Back in January to Pre-Pandemic Levels

Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of Covid-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons to follow are to January 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern. Air cargo demand returned to pre-Covid levels (January 2019) for the first time since the onset of the crisis, the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) January 2021 data for global air cargo markets shows. January demand also showed strong month-to-month growth over December 2020 levels. Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of Covid-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons to follow are to January 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern. Global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), was up 1. 1.% compared to January 2019 and +3% compared to December 2020. All regions saw month-on-month improvement in air cargo demand, and North America and Africa were the strongest performers. The recovery in global capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTKs), was reversed owing to new capacity cuts on the passenger side. Capacity shrank 19. 5% compared to January 2019 and fell 5% compared to December 2020, the first monthly decline since April 2020. The operating backdrop remains supportive for