August Sees an Increase in Air Cargo Demand

Released global air cargo numbers for August 2023 show that year-on-year air cargo demand grew for the first time in 19 months, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), increased by 1.5% compared to August 2022 levels (2% for international operations). Capacity, which is measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), was up 12.2% compared to August 2022 (8% for international operations). This was largely related to belly capacity which rose 30% year-on-year as airlines ramped-up operations to meet peak-northern summer travel season demand.

Chart Credit: IATA

“Air cargo demand grew by 1.5% over the previous August. This is the first year-on-year growth in 19 months, so it is certainly welcome news,” notes Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general. “… Looking ahead, while many uncertainties remain, we can take some optimism from PMI [purchasing managers index]data moving toward positive territory. This is particularly significant as we head into air cargo’s traditional peak year-end season.”