AIR CARG O WEEK


WEEKLY NEWS Voice Of The Industry


EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENTS BY Alexandra HERDMAN, Senior Policy Manager at Logistics UK. 05


EUROPEAN air freight has continued to enjoy high levels of activity during the summer of 2024, driven by an uptick in passenger traf fic during the holiday season and a shif t of cargo from other modes to air. More than six months af ter the start of


attacks by Houthi rebels on cargo travelling through the Red Sea, the disruption is still having a significant impact on air cargo levels, with many shippers opting to divert cargo onto planes rather than risk losing goods or experience significant delays as a result of pirate activity.


In fact, IATA has


indicated that global demand for air freight has increased by as much as 15 percent year- on-year as a result. And with many shippers looking to diversify their supply chains to reduce the potential risk of disruption, this has driven a demand for short haul freight solutions to protect the process and ensure deliveries can be made. At the same time, a significant increase


in passenger flights during the summer as travel patterns return to normal af ter the COVID-19 pandemic has seen capacity


European air freight grow significantly, with higher value and more perishable items being moved in the bellyhold of commercial flights. IATA’s global air cargo markets data showed strong annual growth in Q2 of this year, with demand up 11.1 percent year-on-year and 7.3 percent


for


UK supplies with European produce delivered on short-haul flights in the short to medium term. However, the most significant development


of the summer for European air freight could have been the impact of the CrowdStrike blackout, which af fected 8.5 million Microsof t computers worldwide,


causing widespread


disruption at airports and freight terminals. And while the issue was dealt with quickly, it indicated just how fragile the UK’s supply chain could be in the face of unexpected disruption. In this instance, shippers and airlines worked closely together to identify capacity gaps to ensure the movement of full loads to make up supply chain shortfalls until the issue could be resolved, but it is clear that even short-lived disruptions could have a long term ef fect on the supply chain if the air cargo sector does not continue to work with agility to react to unexpected circumstances. Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading groups,


business businesses which people


representing are


vital directly to


logistics keeping


the UK trading, and more than seven million


employed Brexit, in the


making, selling and moving of goods. With decarbonisation,


new technology increase in capacity. Poor weather


in the UK had a significant impact on fresh produce supplies particularly, with shippers seeking alternative sources for traditionally UK-grown


products from mainland Europe


and north Africa in the short-term. Should inclement weather continue, it is likely that increasing numbers of retailers and manufacturers will look to bolster domestic


and other disruptive forces dr iving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more impor tant to UK plc. Logistics UK suppor ts, shapes and stands up for safe and ef f icient logistics and is the only business group which represents the whole industr y, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industr ies, as well as the buyers of freight ser vices such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses on the ef f icient movement of goods.


depend www.aircargoweek.com 02 SEPTEMBER 2024 ACW


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