Strong Air Cargo Demand Continues in May

IATA released data for May 2024 global air cargo markets showing continuing strong annual growth in demand.

•    Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*), rose by 14.7% compared to May 2023 levels (15.5% for international operations). This is the sixth consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year growth. 

•    Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 6.7% compared to May 2023 (10.2% for international operations). 

"Air cargo demand moved sharply upwards in May across all regions. The sector benefitted from trade growth, booming e-commerce and capacity constraints on maritime shipping. The outlook remains largely positive with purchasing managers showing expectations for future growth. Some dampening, however, could come as the US imposes stricter conditions on e-commerce deliveries from China. Increased costs and transit times for shipments under $800 may deter US consumers and pose significant challenges for growth on the Asia-North America trade lane—the world’s biggest,” said Willie Walsh, IATA Director General."

Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

•    In May the Purchasing Managers Index (PMIs) for global manufacturing output and new export orders indicated expansion (52.6 and 50.4 respectively). 

•    Industrial production and global cross-border trade increased month-on-month in April (0.5% and 1.5% respectively).

•    Inflation saw a mixed picture in May. In the EU and Japan, inflation rates fell to 2.7% and 2.8% respectively, while rising in the US to 3.3%. In contrast, China’s inflation rate remained near zero (0.3%) reflecting weak domestic demand due to high unemployment, slow income growth, and a crisis in the real estate sector, a trend that has persisted since 2023.

.

Air cargo market in detail - May 2024

May 2024 (% year-on-year) World share1 CTK ACTK CLF (%-pt) CLF (level) Total Market 100% 14.7% 6.7% 3.1% 44.6% Africa 2.0% 18.4% 21.4% -1.1% 43.8% Asia Pacific 33.3% 17.8% 8.4% 3.6% 45.3% Europe 21.4% 17.2% 11.9% 2.3% 51.8% Latin America 2.8% 12.7% 8.0% 1.5% 36.2% Middle East 13.5% 15.3% 2.7% 5.0% 46.1% North America 26.9% 8.7% 2.5% 2.3% 39.7%

1% of industry CTKs in 2023

May Regional Performance

Asia-Pacific airlines saw 17.8% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in May. Demand on the Africa-Asia trade lane grew by 40.6% year-on-year, while the Europe-Asia, Within Asia and Middle East-Asia trade lanes rose by 20.4%, 19.2% and 18.6% respectively. Capacity increased by 8.4% year-on-year.
North American carriers saw 8.7% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in May —the weakest among all regions. Demand on the Asia-North America trade lane grew by 12.0% year-on-year, while the North America-Europe route saw an increase of 8.9%, marking the largest demand growth for this route since mid-2022. May capacity increased by 2.5% year-on-year.
European carriers saw 17.2% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in May. Intra-European air cargo rose by 25.6% compared to May 2023, the fifth month in a row of double-digit annual growth. Europe–Middle East routes saw demand increase by 33.8%.  May capacity increased 11.9% year-on-year.
Middle Eastern carriers saw 15.3% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in May. As mentioned above, the Middle East–Europe market performed particularly well with 33.8% annual growth, ahead of Middle East-Asia which grew by 18.6% year-on-year. May capacity increased 2.7% year-on-year.
Latin American carriers saw 12.7% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in May. Capacity increased 8.0% year-on-year.
African airlines saw 18.4% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in May – the strongest of all regions. Demand on the Africa–Asia market increased by 40.6% compared to May 2023, the strongest performance of all trade lanes. May capacity increased by 21.4% year-on-year.  

Read the latest Cargo Market Analysis (iata.org)

IndiGo to Host 81st IATA AGM in Delhi

IndiGo to Host 81st IATA AGM in Delhi

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that IndiGo will host the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit in Delhi, India, on 8-10 June 2025.

“We look forward to gathering the aviation industry in Delhi, India’s gateway city, for the 81st IATA AGM in 2025. It’s been over four decades since the industry came together for an IATA AGM in Delhi. With record aircraft orders, impressive growth, and world-class infrastructure developments, India is firmly on the trajectory to become the world’s third largest aviation market within this decade.  With such bright prospects, it’s the perfect time for the IATA AGM to return to India and witness these exciting developments first hand,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. 

“IndiGo is proud to be host airline for the 81st IATA AGM and looks forward to welcoming the global aviation community to Delhi in 2025. India, becoming the third largest economy within the next few years and leading the fourth industrial revolution with the use of AI, is a nation on the move. India's rise in the global aviation landscape over the last years has been nothing short of remarkable, said Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo. 

“IndiGo has been giving wings to the nation since 2006 and increasingly also expands internationally. Building on aviation as a force for good and India’s unique diversity, we are looking forward to engaging in meaningful dialogues aimed at sculpting the global aviation landscape around important topics such as safety, diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as sustainability, while efficiently delivering the growing global demand for air travel,” said Elbers.

The decision to host the 81st IATA AGM in India was made at the 80th IATA AGM in Dubai. This will be the third time the IATA AGM has convened in Delhi, having previously visited India in 1958 and 1983.  

.  

Diversity & Inclusion Award Winners​

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the winners of the 2024 edition of IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards:

-    Inspirational Role Model: Kendra Kincade, CEO and Founder, Elevate Foundation

-    High Flyer: Mafunase Ngosa Malenga, Founder and Managing Director, Southern Africa Institute of Aviation Science and Technology 

-    Diversity & Inclusion Team: British Airways

The judging panel also awarded a special commendation in the High Flyer category to Hana Al Awahdi, Senior Vice President, Human Resources Business Partner for dnata. 

“The winners are true beacons of the change that is happening as diversity and inclusion entrenches itself as a strategic priority for the aviation industry. Their contributions to righting the gender balance in aviation are truly inspirational and deserving of today’s recognition,” said Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir and Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (2023-2024), who presented the awards.

“The quality of nominations gets more compelling every year as the results of aviation’s focus on diversity and inclusion become even more concrete. Real and important change has been affected by all the winners and our special commendation. By drawing attention to their impressive achievements, we hope to amplify that change even further,” said Karen Walker, Editor-in-Chief, Air Transport World and Chair of the judging panel.

“I congratulate the winners and all who were nominated. Ensuring that aviation is a great career choice for all genders is critical because it helps our businesses individually. It makes the industry stronger, and it is what our customers expect. All those nominated, and particularly the winners, have moved aviation in the right direction,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

The IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards are sponsored by Qatar Airways. Thanks to their generosity, each winner receives a prize of $25,000, payable to themselves or their nominated charities.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “Qatar Airways is proud to once again sponsor the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards, shining the light on the incredible leaders that bring about positive change in the aviation industry. We congratulate this year’s winners on their remarkable achievements.”

 

The 2024 IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards were presented during the World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which followed the 80th IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Winner Profiles

Blocked Funds Drop to $1.8 billion with Major Clearance in Nigeria; Challenges Persist

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported a 28% decrease in the amount of airline funds blocked from repatriation by governments. The total blocked funds at the end of April stood at approximately $1.8 billion, a reduction of $708 million (28%) since December 2023.  

IATA reiterated the call for governments to remove all barriers to airlines repatriating their revenues from ticket sales and other activities in accordance with international agreements and treaty obligations. 

"The reduction in blocked funds is a positive development. The remaining $1.8 billion, however, is significant and must be urgently addressed. The efficient repatriation of airline revenues is guaranteed in bilateral agreements. Even more importantly, it is a pre-requisite for airlines—who operate on thin margins—to be able to provide economically critical connectivity. No business can operate long-term without access to rightfully earned revenues,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. 

The main driver of the reduction was a significant clearance of funds blocked in Nigeria. Egypt also approved the clearance of its significant accumulation of blocked funds. However, in both cases, airlines were adversely affected by the devaluation of the Egyptian Pound and the Nigerian Naira. 

Pieter Elbers Chairs IATA Board of Governors

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, has assumed his duties as Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (BoG). His one-year term began at the conclusion of the 80th IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 3 June.

Elbers is the 82nd Chair of the IATA BoG. He served earlier on the BoG between 2016 and 2022 as KLM’s President and CEO and was reappointed to the Board in 2022 shortly after he became IndiGo’s CEO. He succeeds RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo who will continue to serve on the BoG.

“It is indeed an honor to assume this role at a time when India is emerging as one of the world's largest and fastest growing civil aviation markets and evolving into a formidable force in the airline industry. Adhering to IATA’s legacy of aviation as a force for good, we will continue in our focus of highlighting the benefits of aviation in building connections, augmenting trade, tourism and mobility—benefits also so visible in India. At the same time, it is imperative that we persist in our commitment towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive and also more sustainable aviation industry, creating positive change for generations to come. IATA plays a pivotal role in establishing global standards; I am eager to continue collaborating with global industry leaders, regulators, and stakeholders towards our collective goals,” said Elbers.

Elbers has over 30 years of broad experience in the aviation industry. He has been CEO of IndiGo since September 2022 and has taken IndiGo on a journey of expansion and internationalization since. Prior to joining IndiGo, he served for eight years as President and CEO of KLM. He started his career at KLM in 1992 as Manager Aircraft Loading and has held various key executive positions with KLM in The Netherlands, Japan, Greece, and Italy. 

Air Cargo Demand Continues Strong Growth into Q2

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for April 2024 global air cargo markets showing strong annual growth in demand into the second quarter (Q2). 

•    Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*), rose by 11.1% compared to April 2023 levels (11.6% for international operations). This is the fifth consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year growth. 

•    Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 7.1% compared to April 2023 (10.2% for international operations). 

"Air cargo demand started Q2 with a solid 11.1% increase. While many economic uncertainties remain, it appears that the roots of air cargo’s strong performance are deepening. In recent months, air cargo demand grew even when the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) was indicating the potential for contraction. With the PMI now indicating growth, the prospects for continued strong demand are even more robust,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Air cargo market in detail - April 2024

April 2024 (% year-on-year) World share1 CTK ACTK CLF (%-pt) CLF (level) Total Market 100% 11.1% 7.1% 1.6% 43.9% Africa 2.0% 10.6% 18.7% -3.1% 42.9% Asia Pacific 33.3% 14.0% 7.8% 2.4% 44.5% Europe 21.4% 12.7% 10.3% 1.1% 51.5% Latin America 2.8% 11.7% 9.8% 0.6% 38.7% Middle East 13.5% 9.4% 5.7% 1.5% 44.7% North America 26.9% 7.0% 4.0% 1.1% 38.7%

1% of industry CTKs in 2023

Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

AIR Passenger Demand Up 11% in April

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for April 2024 global passenger demand with the following highlights:

•    Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), was up 11.0% compared to April 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 9.6% year-on-year. The April load factor was 82.4% (+1.0ppt compared to April 2023). 

•    International demand rose 15.8% compared to April 2023; capacity was up 14.8% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 82.2% (+0.7ppt on April 2023). 

•    Domestic demand rose 4.0% compared to April 2023; capacity was up 2.1% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.6% (+1.5ppt compared to April 2023). 

“Passenger demand has been growing for 36 consecutive months. As we enter the peak northern summer travel season, there is every reason to feel optimistic for a strong summer with airlines offering a wide range of travel options. 97% of passengers asked in our recent survey said they were satisfied with their last flight. Every part of the travel value chain needs to be focused on maintaining that,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

The IATA Passenger Survey also revealed 88% agreement that ’air travel makes my life better’.  “That’s an important motivation as our members gather for the IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Dubai next week. This strong endorsement of the power of air connectivity to transform lives and boost economies brings with it a challenge that will also be on the minds of all attending. It is critically important that we achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 so that people can continue to rely on all the benefits of air travel,” said Walsh.

Air passenger market in detail - April 2024

April 2024 (% year-on-year) World share1 RPK ASK PLF (%-pt) PLF (level) Total Market 100% 11.0% 9.6% 1.0% 82.4% Africa 2.1% 15.7% 11.6% 2.6% 73.4% Asia Pacific 31.7% 17.4% 11.8% 3.9% 82.4% Europe 27.1% 9.3% 9.2% 0.1% 83.8% Latin America 5.5% 8.0% 7.2% 0.6% 82.2% Middle East 9.4% 14.1% 9.7% 3.1% 79.2% North America 24.2% 4.2% 7.6% -2.7% 83.0%

1% of industry RPKs in 2023

Airline passenger demand rises by 13.8% in March this year....

According to data released by The International Air Transport Association passenger air traffic rose by over 13 percent during March 2024.

•    Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs), was up 13.8% compared to March 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), was up 12.3% year-on-year. The March load factor was 82.0% (+1.0ppt compared to March 2023). 

•    International demand rose 18.9% compared to March 2023; capacity was up 18.8% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 81.6% (+0.1ppt on March 2023). 

•    Domestic demand rose 6.6% compared to March 2023; capacity was up 3.4% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.6% (+2.5ppt compared to March 2023). 

“Demand for travel is strong. And there is every indication that this should continue into the peak Northern Summer travel season. It is critical that we have the capacity to meet this demand and ensure a hassle-free travel experience for passengers. That means making urgent progress to resolve supply chain issues and for airports and air traffic management to be fully staffed and operating at maximum efficiency. While airlines are prepared for customer care and assistance when operational issues arise, they are fed-up of bearing the cost when delays and cancellations are the result of poor preparation in other parts of the value chain,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Air Cargo continues growth run in March

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for March 2024 global air cargo markets showing continuing strong annual growth in demand. 

•    Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*), rose by 10.3% compared to March 2023 levels (11.4% for international operations). This is the fourth consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year growth. 

•    Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 7.3% compared to March 2023 (10.5% for international operations). 

"Air cargo demand grew by 10.3% over the previous March. This contributed to a strong first quarter performance which slightly exceeded even the exceptionally strong 2021 first quarter performance during the COVID crisis. With global cross-border trade and industrial production continuing to show a moderate upward trend, 2024 is shaping up to be a solid year for air cargo," said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

•    Global cross-border trade and industrial production increased by 1.2% and 1.6% respectively in February. 

•    In March, the manufacturing output Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) climbed to 51.9, indicating expansion. The new export orders PMI also rose to 49.5, remaining slightly below the 50 threshold that would indicate growth expectations. 

•    Inflation saw a mixed picture in March. In the EU and Japan, inflation rates fell to 2.6% and 2.7% respectively, while rising in the US to 3.5%. In contrast, China experienced a slight deflation of -0.01%. This latest figure marks a return to deflation after February's brief period of inflation. 

March Regional Performance

Asia-Pacific airlines saw 14.3% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in March. Demand on the Asia-Europe route grew by 2.7 ppt to 17.0% and the within Asia market grew by 6.7 ppt to 11.8%. Capacity increased by 14.3% year-on-year.

North American carriers saw 0.9% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in March —the weakest among all regions. Demand on the North America–Europe trade lane grew by 2.9% year-on-year while Asia–North America grew by 4.7% year-on-year.  March capacity decreased by -1.9% year-on-year.

European carriers saw 10.0% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in March. Intra-European air cargo rose by 24.7% year-on-year. Europe–Middle East routes saw demand grow by 38.3% year-on-year, while Europe–North America expanded by 2.9% year-on-year.  March capacity increased 8.0% year-on-year.

German passenger tax increase will weaken German economy and hamper decarbonization claims Willie Walsh

Willie Walsh has taken to the pulpit again to attack a democratically elected government's tax position which he claims will weaken the economy of Germany and halt the development of decarbonization.

As the Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Walsh sharply criticized the increase in German aviation taxes which have recently gone up.   

The outspoken industry veteran said: “When Germany’s economic performance is anaemic at best, denting its competitiveness with more taxes on aviation is policy madness. The government should be prioritizing measures to improve Germany’s competitive position and encouraging trade and travel. Instead, they have gone for a short-term cash grab which can only damage the economy’s long-term growth,"

IATA warned that the tax increase imposed by Germany will hamper the industry’s efforts to decarbonize. Aviation has a goal of reaching net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are vital to this effort. The German government coalition agreement originally stated that revenues from aviation taxes would directly fund the production of SAF, but IATA claims this commitment has been broken. 

Continuing the attack, Walsh said: "The German government appears to have an unhealthy obsession with aviation taxes. On top of increasing the passenger tax, it is also in favour of a European jet fuel tax which will make it even more expensive to do business in Germany or for families to go on holiday. Our survey of air travellers in Germany shows deep scepticism about government claims for ‘green taxes’. 75% agreed with the statement “Taxation is not the way to make aviation sustainable” and 72% agreed that “Green taxes are just government greenwashing”. Time and again, we see taxation that was supposed to help the industry decarbonize be stolen and then lost in the general budget. And money taken out of the industry means that it has less money to invest in other decarbonization measures,”.

.

Aviation net zero roadmaps comparative review

IATA - The International Air Transport Association along with the Air Transportation Systems Laboratory at University College London (UCL), the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), released the Aviation Net Zero CO2 Transition Pathways Comparative Review. 

This is the first publication to compare 14 leading net zero CO2 transition roadmaps for aviation. The report aims to provide a “one-stop shop” for airlines, policymakers and all aviation stakeholders to better understand the key similarities and differences between the various roadmaps, and their visions for achieving net zero carbon emissions for aviation by 2050. Specifically, the report compares the selected roadmaps in terms of their scope, key input assumptions, modelled aviation energy demand, respective CO2 emissions, and the emissions reduction potential of each mitigation lever (new aircraft technologies, zero-carbon fuels, SAF, and operational improvements).

Key findings from this analysis include:

•    Possible pathways to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 differ significantly depending on the key assumptions of the authors regarding how decarbonization technologies and solutions may evolve. Depending on these assumptions, the resulting role of particular levers in aviation’s decarbonization will be more or less important.  

•    All roadmaps assume that Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) will be responsible for the greatest amount of CO2 reductions by 2050. The role of SAF varies from 24%-70% (with a median value of 53%). This wide range reflects the uncertainties regarding potential supportive government action, the level of investments, cost of production, and profit potential, as well as access to feedstocks.  

Single use plastics products report released.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the Reassessing Single Use Plastics Products in the Airline Sector report to assist airlines, regulators, and the airline supply chain to mitigate the environmental impacts of single-use plastic products (SUPP). 

This publication is timely as the United National Environmental Program (UNEP) has convened an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding agreement on SUPP use by the end of 2024. 

SUPP are widely used in aviation due to their strength, lightness, and ability to meet safety and security regulations. However, the airline sector faces challenges associated with improved cabin waste performance and the replacement of SUPP with sustainable alternatives. In addition, airlines face technical and operational obstacles, and the lack of harmonized and risk-based regulations presents a significant barrier to improving recycling and circularity of waste management. The absence of smart regulation continues to constrain airline efforts to improve the sustainability of cabin operations.

Collaboration across the aviation value chain is vital to enable the adoption of circular economy principles and to facilitate the reduction and replacement of SUPP that is necessary for reducing waste and increasing material recovery.

The report advocates for a sectoral approach to managing SUPP in aviation with a clear set of recommendations. Key recommendations include:

For airlines:

•    Reduce waste at source by reviewing standards and procedures through the lens of waste reduction and reuse, and professionally assess the need for SUPP. Set clear targets for the elimination, measurement, and tracking implementation, and disclose progress.

•    Introduce reusable items as a strategy to drive circularity. This requires logistical changes that incorporate a closed-loop service, including the impact of potential added weight of reusables on aircraft on fuel burn and carbon emissions.

•    Improve waste management and recovery by facilitating onboard and ground waste segregation, and undertaking waste composition audits for passenger and cargo operations.

For regulators: 

Passenger Demand Up 21.5% in February

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2024 global passenger demand with the following highlights:

•    Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), was up 21.5% compared to February 2023. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 18.7% year-on-year. The February load factor was 80.6% (+1.9ppt compared to February 2023). 

•    International demand rose 26.3% compared to February 2023; capacity was up 25.5% year-on-year and the load factor improved to 79.3% (+0.5ppt on February 2023). 

•    Domestic demand rose 15.0% compared to February 2023; capacity was up 9.4% year-on-year and the load factor was 82.6% (+4.0ppt compared to February 2023). 

Note that February 2024 was a leap year with one extra day compared to February 2023. This slightly exaggerates growth in both demand and capacity to the positive.

“The strong start to 2024 continued in February with all markets except North America reporting double-digit growth in passenger traffic. There is good reason to be optimistic about the industry’s prospects in 2024 as airlines accelerate investments in decarbonization and passenger demand shows resilience in the face of geopolitical and economic uncertainties.  It is critical that politicians resist the temptation of cash grabs with new taxes that could destabilize this positive trajectory and make travel more expensive. In particular, Europe is a worry as it seems determined to lock in its sluggish economic recovery with uncompetitive tax proposals,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Air Cargo Demand Maintains Double-Digit Growth in February

                                       The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2024 global air cargo markets showing continuing strong annual growth in demand. 

•    Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*), rose by 11.9% compared to February 2023 levels (12.4% for international operations). This is the third consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year demand growth. 

•    Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 13.4% compared to February 2023 (16.0% for international operations). This was largely related to the increase in international belly capacity accompanying growth in passenger markets (29.5% year-on-year increase), which far exceeded international capacity on freighters (3.2% year-on-year increase).

"February’s demand growth of 11.9% far outpaced the 0.9% expansion in cross-border trade. This strong start for 2024 could see demand surpass the exceptionally high levels of early 2022. It also shows air cargo’s strong resilience in the face of continuing political and economic uncertainties,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

•    Global cross-border trade increased by 0.9% in January. 

•    In February, the manufacturing output Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) climbed to 51.2, indicating expansion. The new export orders PMI also rose to 49.4, remaining slightly below the 50 threshold that would indicate growth.

•    February year-on-year inflation dropped to 2.8% in the EU while rising to 2.8% and 3.2% in Japan and the US respectively.  After four months of deflation, China reported a 0.7% increase in inflation year-on-year—a positive development amid concerns over China's economic slowdown.

IATA Announces Winner of 2024 FACE-UP Competition

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Erik Goldenstein was the recipient of the IATA FACE-UP award for 2024. FACE-UP is a competition for recent university graduates who have developed innovation and transformation solutions in air transport logistics.

Goldenstein was voted as the winner for his role in creating the NE:ONE Play app built on the ONE Record Data Standard. The app provides a visualization of ONE Record data giving a very simplified overview of complex air cargo data. This allows organizations to browse through their shipment data as easily as browsing the web, facilitating optimization of their operational processes. The award was presented at the World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Hong Kong.

FACE-UP is a competition that provides recent graduates from around the globe a unique opportunity to present their solution on addressing the challenges of the air cargo supply chain to industry executives.

 Goldenstein is a research assistant, data scientist and software engineer in the Aviation Logistics department of Fraunhofer IML at Frankfurt Airport, currently working on a variety of topics in the field of aviation digitalization.

IATA Announces First Signatories to Air Cargo Digitalization Leadership Charter

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the launch of the IATA Digitalization Leadership Charter at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Hong Kong. Cathay Cargo, CHAMP Cargosystems, Global Logistics System (HK) Company Limited, IAG Cargo, IBS Software, LATAM Cargo, and Lufthansa Cargo are the inaugural signatories of the charter.

The Digitalization Leadership Charter aims to accelerate the air cargo industry’s digitalization journey by committing to five key guiding principles. Developed in consultation with IATA’s Cargo Advisory Council Members, airlines and the wider air cargo community, the charter seeks to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and promote a sustainable and harmonized digital transformation. Central to the charter is the importance of data sharing using IATA ONE Record for smooth and efficient data exchange.

“Digitalization is imperative for the air cargo industry. It requires alignment to ensure a unified and effective approach. IATA has introduced the Digitalization Leadership Charter to spearhead this alignment. By adhering to the Charter's principles—adopting industry-wide standards, championing sustainability, ensuring ethical technology use, and upholding digital leadership—the charter sets a benchmark for excellence,” said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.

IATA Announces Winner of ​​​​​​2024 FACE-UP Competition

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Erik Goldenstein was the recipient of the IATA FACE-UP award for 2024. FACE-UP is a competition for recent university graduates who have developed innovation and transformation solutions in air transport logistics.

Goldenstein was voted as the winner for his role in creating the NE:ONE Play app built on the ONE Record Data Standard. The app provides a visualization of ONE Record data giving a very simplified overview of complex air cargo data. This allows organizations to browse through their shipment data as easily as browsing the web, facilitating optimization of their operational processes. The award was presented at the World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Hong Kong.

FACE-UP is a competition that provides recent graduates from around the globe a unique opportunity to present their solution on addressing the challenges of the air cargo supply chain to industry executives.

IATA and Smart Freight Centre Join Forces on CO2 Emission Calculations

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Smart Freight Centre (SFC) announced a partnership to provide consistent and transparent CO2 emissions calculations for air cargo shipments. This is an important step for the global air transport sector to advance its decarbonization efforts.

The two organizations will focus efforts on developing the cargo component of IATA’s CO2 Connect offering, which successfully launched its passenger version in 2022. The IATA CO2 Connect platform uses primary industry data to power highly accurate carbon calculations. The collaboration with the SFC Clean Air Transport Program will promote a common methodology in CO2 emission calculations and ensure accurate and consistent CO2 calculations are distributed to the industry’s biggest shippers and freight forwarders in air cargo, supporting them with pre-shipment and reporting purposes.

 

“Our partnership with the Smart Freight Center will help us to accelerate the development of CO2 Connect for air cargo as the most authoritative tool for carbon calculations. This is important for airlines, shippers and their customers who all need accurate calculations based on real data to support their contributions to global decarbonization efforts,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Commercial Products & Services, at IATA’s World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Hong Kong.   

"A key milestone has been reached and this has been a long time in the making. The need for unified emissions data is stronger than ever and this milestone will enable cargo transport service purchasers to make well-founded, long-term decisions. Transparency is key to drive decarbonization investments and activities, encouraging collaborative and synergetic action throughout the value chain. Our partnership with IATA will enable effective collaboration by building trust and exchanging information across the value chain which, in turn, will help in accelerating our ongoing efforts in decarbonizing the aviation industry," said Andrea Schoen, SFC Director of the Clean Air Transport program.

Emirates and Butterfly Aero Training Win 2024 IATA CBTA Center Innovation Award

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Emirates and Butterfly Aero Training were each recognized with the IATA Competency-Based Training and Assessment Center (CBTA Center) Innovation Awards.  Butterfly Aero Training was recognized for developing an AI ChatBot that serves as a virtual instructor within its training programs. This enhances learning by offering personalized, interactive sessions that adapt to the unique needs of each learner. The AI ChatBot facilitates an efficient and engaging learning experience which includes real-time question-answering capabilities. Emirates was recognized for developing a Mobile App dedicated to the safe carriage of lithium batteries. The Li-Battery Acceptance App complements traditional classroom training by providing immediate and clear guidance on transporting lithium batteries, based on their quantity and power. This solution contributes to the industry’s holistic approach to safely managing the risks associated with the transport of lithium batteries. "The evolution of the air cargo sector and the challenges that brings, including the safe handling of dangerous goods, requires innovative training solutions that are both efficient and accessible. Butterfly Aero Training and Emirates have risen to the challenge with forward-thinking approaches that not only meet the current demands of the industry but also adeptly position them to meet the challenges of tomorrow. We are proud to have them among the growing IATA CBTA Network of 208 centres," said Frederic Leger, IATA SVP of Commercial Products and Services.

Sustainability, digitalization and safety in air cargo

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reviewed progress in digitalization, safety and sustainability at the opening of the IATA World Cargo Symposium with the aim of accelerating progress on these critical priorities.  “Air cargo volumes are now firmly back to pre-pandemic levels. The challenge now is to ensure that air cargo growth is efficient, safe and aligned with achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Through the hard work of the air cargo industry, the building blocks are in place to significantly accelerate progress in all these areas,” said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo at the World Cargo Symposium (WCS), which opened in Hong Kong, today.  Digitalization  “The biggest opportunity for the air cargo industry is digitalization. This has not happened as fast as any of us would have liked. But progress is real. Inefficient paper-based, manual processes are being replaced with digital solutions in all aspects of cargo operations from tracking to customs clearance. That’s a fact. And it’s making international trade more efficient. Our call to action is clear: Governments must consistently implement global standards, supply chain partners need to collaborate to overcome shared challenges, and the entire industry must align to ensure a unified and effective approach to digitalization,” said Sullivan.  Three areas were highlighted to illustrate progress: •    Seamless sharing of digital information: The adoption of the ONE Record standard is enabling efficient data exchange throughout the supply chain. The aim is for all IATA members to achieve ONE Record capability by January 2026. Cathay Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo have already met this target. And all major airline IT platform providers have pledged to attain ONE Record capability to support this transition.  •    Digitalization of customs and trade facilitation processes: Among countries already implementing, Brazil's use of IATA's digital standards has cut cargo release times from 5 days to just 5 hours, potentially reducing manual processing by up to 90%. And the EU, UAE and Canada recognized the value of accurate data sharing across the air cargo supply chain and will adopt pre-loading advance cargo information systems by the end of 2024. The US was the early-adopter of this in 2019.  •    Shipment tracking: The updated IATA Interactive Cargo Guidance offers a unified framework, enabling tracking devices to ensure the quality and accuracy of conditions for time and temperature-sensitive goods. This is critical to facilitate growing demands for real-time shipment tracking by e-commerce and pharmaceutical trade.