African airlines recorded a 5.7% year-on-year decline in air cargo demand in February 2025, with capacity decreasing by 0.6% in the same period.
Globally, air cargo demand fell by 0.1% compared to February 2024, marking the first decline since mid-2023.
Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), dropped by 0.4%, although international operations saw a 1.1% increase.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) report showed that global capacity decreased by 0.4%, with international operations showing a slight increase of 0.4% in demand.
“African airlines saw a 5.7% year-on-year decrease in demand for air cargo in February. Capacity decreased by 0.6% year-on-year,” the report read in part.
It added, “Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), declined by 0.1% compared to February 2024 levels (+0.4% for international operations). This marks the first decline since mid-2023.
“Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTK), decreased by 0.4% compared to February 2024 (+1.1% for international operations).”
African airlines’ performance mirrors broader market trends, with air cargo demand fluctuating across regions.
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, attributed the global decline to the unique circumstances of February 2024, which benefited from the leap year, Chinese New Year, sea lane disruptions, and a surge in e-commerce.
The IATA report also highlighted key operating factors:
- The industrial production index rose 3.2% year-on-year in January, the highest growth in two years, and world trade expanded by 5%.
- Jet fuel prices averaged $94.6/barrel in February, down 2.1% from January.
- The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for global manufacturing output was 51.5, indicating growth, while the PMI for new export orders rose slightly to 49.6.
- Consumer inflation remained high in the US, Europe, and Japan, while China saw its first decline in consumer prices in 11 months, signaling ongoing deflationary pressure.
Regional performance
The IATA report highlighted regional performance trends in global air travel demand. Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region led growth with a 5.1% increase, while North American carriers experienced a slight dip of 0.4%.
- European carriers saw a modest decrease of 0.1%, while Middle Eastern airlines recorded the sharpest decline at 11.9%. In contrast, Latin American carriers posted a 6.0% rise in demand.
- The report also highlighted that the Trans-Pacific corridor remained the busiest trade lane, followed by growth in Intra-Asia routes.
Additionally, the global cargo market witnessed significant shifts. Trade lanes such as Europe-Asia and Transatlantic routes expanded, while others, including Middle East-Asia, African connections, and certain European routes, saw a decline in demand.
