Airfreight volumes fell 0.6% during July versus same month 2014, "in line with weaker global economic growth" said IATA, which also warned of a "rough ride" for cargo in the coming months.
The decline in freight tonne km (FTK) was broad-based across all regions with the exception of Africa and the Middle East, said IATA. The "most pronounced falls" were in the Americas, where international FTK volumes were down more than 5% compared to July 2014.
Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and chief executive, said: “The recent stock-market turmoil shows that investors have real fears about the strength of the global economy. And the disappointing July freight performance is symptomatic of a broader slowdown in economic growth.
"The combination of China’s continued shift towards domestic markets, wider weakness in emerging markets, and slowing global trade indicates that it will continue to be a rough ride for air cargo in the months to come."
