Airfreight will settle into steady growth to 2014

International freight volumes are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2 per cent over the next four years, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) ’s latest forecasts. This will take the amount of cargo handled every year up 12.5 million tonnes from the 26 million tonnes carried in 2009 to 38 million tonnes in 2014.

Excluding the impact of the rapid post recession rebound in 2010, for the 2011 to 2014 period, the consensus view for airfreight is that it will stabilise at five per cent CAGR. This is slightly below the forecast growth in world trade (six per cent) suggesting a still conservative outlook after the recession shock and possibly some loss of marketshare to sea shipping.

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