African air cargo volume declines at slower pace

African air cargo volume declined at a slower pace of 6.3 per cent in November compared to 8.3 per cent dip recorded in the previous month, the International Air Transport Association’s report for November 2022 global air cargo markets has shown.

The report also attributed the decline to shrinking export orders globally which made air cargo demand soften as economic headwinds persist.

“Air cargo performance softened in November, the traditional peak season. Resilience in the face of economic uncertainties is demonstrated with demand being relatively stable on a month-to-month basis. But market signals are mixed. November presented several indicators with upside potential: oil prices stabilised, inflation slowed and there was a slight expansion in goods traded globally. But shrinking export orders globally and China’s rising COVID cases are cause for careful monitoring,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

According to the report, global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres, fell 13.7 per cent compared to November 2021 (-14.2 per cent for international operations).

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Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres, ACTK, was 1.9 per cent below November 2021. This was the second year-on-year contraction following the first last month (in October) since April 2022.

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Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Aviation RoundTable, Olumide Ohunayo has urged the domestic airlines under the umbrella of the Airline Operators of Nigeria to release check-in counters to other airlines to use during their downtime.

Recall that the AON had called on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to increase check-in counters in airports, which it claimed was responsible for flight delays.

However, Ohunanyo in a chat with The PUNCH charged FAAN to adopt the model obtainable in most busy airports globally, where airlines are required to vacate check-in counters during their downtime for others to use.

He said, “What is obtainable in other airports is that once you don’t have a flight you release the counter for other airlines to use. It is a common user booth.

If you delay your flight, it may be a herculean task getting a counter at a busy airport as it would have been reallocated to another airline. what I have found out here is that airlines keep a booth even when they don’t have a flight.