Air cargo demand between Asia and North America increased 17% year over year in September, extending the route’s growth streak to eight consecutive months, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Demand has risen by at least 8% each month since April, with September marking the fourth double-digit gain in a six-month period.

The route recorded the strongest demand growth among the seven global lanes tracked by IATA. Intra-Asia traffic ranked second, rising 10.2%. Asia-Pacific and North American carriers together accounted for 77% of September’s total year-over-year growth in demand, adding 721.1 million and 678.2 million cargo tonne-kilometers, respectively.

IATA said global air cargo demand grew 7.7% in September, while international demand rose 8.6%. Capacity expanded more slowly: 2.7% globally and 3.3% for international services. The gap pushed the global cargo load factor—the share of available space filled—up 2.2 percentage points to 47.9%. North American carriers saw the largest increase, with their load factor climbing 4.3 points to 43.9%.

Higher utilization and rising fuel costs supported stronger rates. Yields rose 2% from August, their second consecutive monthly increase, and were 25.9% higher than a year earlier. IATA reported that jet fuel averaged $184.50 per barrel in September, up 17.5% from August and 103.4% from September last year.

IATA senior vice president of sustainability and chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen attributed the demand gains to stronger trade and manufacturing, as well as shipments linked to artificial intelligence. She also warned that fuel costs had increased faster than yields, making it harder for carriers to move goods profitably.

Capacity conditions varied by region. Asia-Pacific demand increased 8.6% against capacity growth of 4.9%, lifting the region’s load factor to 50.7%. In Europe, capacity fell 1.6% while demand rose 4.5%, taking the load factor to 54.6%.

Separate data from air cargo market intelligence platform WorldACD showed global tonnage fell 2% week over week during Oct. 19–25, reversing a 2% increase the previous week. Global capacity declined 1% over the same period, while capacity in the Middle East and South Asia remained constrained.

European Union policy changes continued to affect shipments into the bloc. A €3 duty on low-value imports introduced on July 1 was followed by a €2 handling fee on e-commerce imports from outside the EU, effective Sunday, according to the report. During week 43, chargeable weight from Asia-Pacific to the EU was down 16% year over year, while shipments to the United States were up 9%. Since the July change, volumes from Hong Kong to the EU had fallen 33%, and those from mainland China were down 9%.

WorldACD reported that spot rates to Europe rose almost 30% year over year to $5.10 per kilogram, while rates to the United States increased 41% to $7.43. Global spot rates reached $3.80 per kilogram, up 5% from the previous week and 38% from a year earlier.

Gulf capacity was down 19% from late February, according to the report. Air cargo consultancy Aevean said King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh was operating at about 6% of normal capacity as of Oct. 29. The airport partially reopened after closing on Oct. 10, but most foreign carriers remained suspended into November.

Sources: WWD.