{"id":4166,"date":"2026-05-01T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ufreight.com\/?p=4166"},"modified":"2026-05-04T14:13:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T06:13:41","slug":"iata-reports-air-cargo-demand-down-in-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ufreight.com\/tc\/iata-reports-air-cargo-demand-down-in-march\/","title":{"rendered":"IATA reports air cargo demand down in March"},"content":{"rendered":"

With our strong presence in the expedited international airfreight sector, the U-Freight Group notes that IATA reports that the Middle East conflict resulted in a year-on-year fall in air cargo demand and capacity in March, while the post\u2013Lunar New Year trade slowdown also affected business.

Data from IATA showed total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), fell by 4.8% compared to March 2025 levels.

Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kms (ACTK), decreased by 4.7% compared to March 2025.

However, the cargo load factor (CLF) remained stable at 47.9%.

Earlier this month, Xeneta reported that global air cargo demand fell 3% year-on-year in March, while capacity supply was 6% lower year on year.

\u201cIndustry-wide cargo-tonne-kilometers declined by 4.8% year-on-year, reflecting one of the most complex operating environments in recent years,\u201d commented the trade body.

\u201cMarch was shaped by overlapping Chinese New Year distortions, escalating geopolitical instability in the Middle East, and higher fuel costs, all of which disrupted established traffic patterns.\u201d
Jet fuel rose 106.6% year on year, reaching its highest level in more than 23 years. This pushed \u201ccargo yields up 18.9% in a distinctly inflationary pricing environment\u201d said IATA.

Willie Walsh, IATA\u2019s director general, said: \u201cThe timing of the usual post\u2013Lunar New Year slowdown also added to the decline. The underlying demand trends, at this point, appear strong and the recent World Trade Organization and International Monetary Fund revisions to trade and GDP projections continue to see growth in 2026.

\u201cImportantly, air cargo networks are providing the flexibility needed to support global supply chains as they adjust to geopolitical, tariff, and operational strains. All eyes are on fuel supply and price, which are expected to test the industry\u2019s resilience in the coming months.\u201d

General trade conditions looked positive. Global industrial production grew by 3.1% year on year in February, marking the 38th consecutive month of expansion, and global goods trade rose by 8%.

Global manufacturing sentiment remained in growth territory in March, easing slightly from February. The Purchasing Managers\u2019 Index (PMI) stood at 51.4. The PMI for new export orders was 50.1. The fact that both are above the 50-point expansion threshold signals positive conditions for air cargo demand, said IATA.

For more information about the U-Freight Group\u2019s 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<\/a>

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With our strong presence in the expedited international airfreight sector, the U-Freight Group notes that IATA reports that the Middle East conflict resulted in a year-on-year fall in air cargo demand and capacity in March, while the post\u2013Lunar New Year trade slowdown also affected business. Data from IATA showed total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2734,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nIATA reports air cargo demand down in March - UFL Group<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With our strong presence in the expedited international airfreight sector, the U-Freight Group notes that IATA reports that the Middle East conflict resulted in a year-on-year fall in air cargo demand and capacity in March, while the post\u2013Lunar New Year trade slowdown also affected business. Data from IATA showed total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), fell by 4.8% compared to March 2025 levels. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kms (ACTK), decreased by 4.7% compared to March 2025. However, the cargo load factor (CLF) remained stable at 47.9%. 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Data from IATA showed total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK), fell by 4.8% compared to March 2025 levels. Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kms (ACTK), decreased by 4.7% compared to March 2025. However, the cargo load factor (CLF) remained stable at 47.9%. 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