WorldACD: Global airfreight volumes up 0.9% in Mar-2018 and 4.8% in 1Q2018

WorldACD reported (30-Apr-2018) worldwide airfreight volumes increased 0.9% year-on-year in Mar-2018, with the effects of Chinese New Year "visible well into March". Volumes increased 4.8% for 1Q2018. In air cargo exports, Central and South America grew 12% and Africa decreased 3.3%. For import volumes, Europe grew 7% and the Middle East and South Asia grew 0.6%. The origin markets with the strongest growth in 1Q2018 were Turkey (20.6%), Japan (17.8%) and Ecuador (12.2%). The top country pairs were Japan to eastern China (24%), Germany to India (19.2%) and Chile to south Atlantic US (17.6%). Hong Kong to Germany decreased 9.9% and Japan to Taiwan decreased 6.8%. Worldwide air cargo yield reached USD1.89 in Mar-2018, down 1% from Feb-2018 but up 16.3% year-on-year. The US dollar was weaker year-on-year against most major currencies. In 1Q2018, yield increased 18.6% year-on-year in USD but only 2.7% in EUR and a similar pattern was seen when comparing USD yields to most other major currencies. [more - original PR]