Middle East airlines are showing "remarkable" growth in cargo traffic during 2013, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said.While air freight markets weakened in March, the region's carriers saw cargo volumes grow by 10.5 percent, according to latest IATA data"Middle East airlines are continuing their remarkable start to 2013. The region has grown 12.4 percent faster for the year to date compared with the same period last year. In March, capacity was up 9.1 percent," IATA said in a statement.The performance builds on February growth when regional airlines recorded 12.3 percent growth year-on-year.Globally, IATA said that the improvement in air cargo growth rates that began towards the end of 2012 has stalled.Global Freight Tonne Kilometres (FTKs) were down 2.3 percdent in March compared to March 2012, with only the Middle East and Africa showing an expansion.
The US and Europe fell by 5.2 percent and 4 percent respectively and global air freight volumes are now only 1.5 percent above the October 2012 low point, down from the 3.5 percent rise that had been reached in January.Tony Tyler, IATA's director general and CEO, said: "The March decline in air cargo is most likely a temporary stall. The fundamentals for a sustained improvement in air cargo volumes are in place. "Business confidence continues to signal forthcoming expansion, and the solid increase in new export orders seen in 2013 should boost air freight in the coming months."
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