African airlines have recorded a 1.4 per cent fall in cargo demand year-on-year, according to the International Air Transport Association’s analysis of the global air cargo industry for 2022.
Air cargo demand is a useful barometer of global and regional trade.
During the 2022 full year, African airlines reported a 1.4 per cent decline in demand compared to 2021.
African airlines also reported a 10 per cent decrease in cargo demand and a 1.3 per cent increase in cargo capacity.
Measured by cargo tonne kilometres flown, by the end of 2022, Africa’s airlines held two per cent of the global market, according to the report.
The report read in part, “African airlines reported a decrease in demand of 1.4 per cent for global and international demand in 2022 compared to 2021 and an increase in capacity of 0.3 per cent (-0.2 per cent for international operations). Compared to 2019 (pre-COVID levels), demand was 8.3 per cent above (+9.4 per cent for international operations) and capacity was down 15.3 per cent (-14.2 per cent for international operations). In December, airlines in the region posted a 10.0 per cent decrease in demand for both global and international operations compared to 2021. Capacity grew 1.3 per cent (+0.2 per cent for international operations) during the same period.”
However, the average cargo load factor fell by -7.3 per cent to close the year at 43.2 per cent (i.e. less than half of the available capacity was taken up in the market).
