The current state of air cargo capacity

The evolution of air cargo and global trade

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world stopped traveling. Closed borders and strict travel requirements meant that actual flight movements were severely impacted, which caused a knock-on effect on air cargo logistics and global trade. But whilst the world returns to the skies once again, air cargo industry players are adapting to a very different landscape.

With our comprehensive, reliable and up-to-date demand and supply databases, our travel industry practice is able to provide insights and data on global air cargo capacity, express and ocean freight demand and capacity on a regular basis.

Global international air cargo capacity in decline

Global international air cargo capacity was down -6% (vs. 2019) between April 4-17, 2022. Asia to Middle East to Europe is up +9% due to continuous rerouting of capacity.

Note: 4-17 April 2022 compared to 1-14 April 2019; Direct international flights only; all flows indicate region-to-region capacity; regions indicated by color; dates measured in UTC;1) Total air cargo capacity includes widebody passenger and all freighter flights.

Source: Seabury Cargo Capacity Tracking database Seabury Cargo, Accenture analysis (April 2022)

Shanghai PVG international air cargo capacity

The Shanghai PVG international air cargo capacity in the first two weeks of April 2022 was around a third as the same weeks in 2021. As Shanghai factories are preparing to reopen and restrictions are lifted, air cargo capacity could be less constrained in the near future.

Source: Shanghai prepares to ease Covid lockdown as factories reopen, the Guardian (20 April 2022); Seabury Cargo Capacity Tracking database, Seabury Cargo, Accenture analysis (April 2022)