Asia-Europe Air Freight Falls 7.3 Percent

Falling trade with Asia sent cargo traffic for European airlines down 4.4 percent in November, the sharpest year-over-year decline in 2011, according to the Association of European Airlines.

Freight traffic connected to the Far East and Australasia region – the largest trade lane for European carriers – fell 7.3 percent in November compared to the same month a year ago.

The Asia trade also slipped back slightly from October to November, a typical seasonal trend but one likely exacerbated by the impact of economic woes in the eurozone that have dampened demand for imports.

The 4.4 percent decline in overall air freight follows a 3.2 percent decline in October – revised downward from 3 percent – and left freight traffic for Europe’s airlines up just 2 percent in the first 11 months of 2011 from the same period the year before.

Asia-Europe air freight fell 0.6 percent in the same time period.