Asia Air Freight Jumps 29.8 Percent

Freight traffic for Asia-Pacific airlines jumped 29.8 percent in February over the same month a year ago amid signs the rapid upturn in air cargo demand was leveling off.

The strong expansion last month came in comparison to the lowest point of the global trade downturn for the carriers. The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines said traffic in February actually slipped back 3.7 percent from the January figure.

The airlines also are starting to pull back on capacity additions. The AAPA said freight capacity, measured in available metric-ton kilometers, grew 10.2 percent over February 2009 but the capacity slipped back slightly from January as airlines reduced schedules during the Chinese New Year.

Airlines have been seeing the recovery since exports out of China started surging last October, but Andrew Herdman, AAPA director general, said the resurgence has been more widespread this year.

“While the recent recovery has been led by the more dynamic Asia Pacific economies, it is worth noting that the rebound in demand for international air cargo has been broadly based, with both exports and imports from other regions showing renewed vigor,” he said.