Air, Freight News

Travel bans hit airfreight demand – updated

[ March 19, 2020   //   Chris ]

Mark Briffa, chief executive of charter broker Air Partner says that this is “an extremely precarious time for the global aviation industry”, faced with widespread travel bans and to limit the spread of COVID-19.

While some of its activities, including the private jets division, is seeing high levels of activity in the US, freight demand has slowed as the crisis intensifies and supply chains have become interrupted by factory closures and travel bans. Freight volumes will however increase in due course as supply chains recover, “and in our experience of prior outbreaks, it is likely that they will surge sharply once aid projects begin to ship supplies, equipment and personnel to affected areas”.

Meanwhile, fellow broker Air Charter Service said it was seeing a spike in both private jet and air cargo charter requests. The aircraft charter industry is stepping up in the short term to make up the shortfall in capacity, whether keeping supply chains running by flying cargo.
Passenger aircraft belly space makes up 60%-70% of all air cargo movements around the world and the mass cancellations of passenger flights has a knock-on effect on supply chains. Many companies are turning to ACS to charter entire cargo aircraft, it said.

Tags: Air Partner