2009 saw 11% fall in Asia cargo

The international air cargo traffic carried by member airlines of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) fell 11 per cent last year compared to 2008, according to a statement.

Air cargo traffic, expressed in freight tonne kilometres fell to 46,776 million last year from 52561m a year ago, preliminary traffic figures showed. Available freight tonne kilometres also fell to 70,738m last year from 80,215m in 2008, a decline of 11.8 per cent.

Airlines made corresponding reductions in cargo capacity, resulting in an average freight load factor of 66.1 per cent, almost unchanged from the previous year.

"As a result of the global recession, demand for air cargo shipments recorded a sharp fall. The outlook for 2010 depends on the sustainability of what still appears to be a rather fragile global economic recovery," Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director General said.

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