Xeneta warns of spiralling airfreight rates due to Middle East crisis

Air Cargo News reports that consultant and data provider Xeneta is expecting airfreight rates to spiral due to the Middle East crisis and has recommended to shippers on affected trade lanes that they delay signing longer term deals until the situation eases.

The publication states that Xeneta chief airfreight officer Niall van de Wouw said that global airfreight capacity is down by around 16-18% as a result of carriers having to ground operations and cancel flights due to the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

However, he pointed out that the impact on some markets was “much more dramatic” than others.

On expectations for freight rates, he likened the situation to Covid when flights across the world were grounded and the market saw rates “double, triple, quadruple in certain markets”.

All of this makes interesting reading for the U-Freight Group with our strong presence in the expedited international airfreight business, as well as for the clients whose supply chains we manage.

The complete article can be read here: https://www.aircargonews.net/supply-chains/2026/03/xeneta-warns-of-spiralling-airfreight-rates-due-to-middle-east-crisis/

For more information about the U-Freight Group’s global air freight forwarding and logistics services, or our e-commerce logistics operations, please visit the relevant pages of this website or contact your local office, details of which can be seen here: https://ufreight.com/locations