Asia-Pacific airlines see solid uptick in air freight demand in November

Air cargo traffic across the Asia-Pacific region strengthened in November, driven by higher export volumes and seasonal shipping demand from key Asian markets.

Preliminary data released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) show that international air freight demand among regional carriers rose by 6.2% year on year in November 2025, measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTKs). The growth was underpinned by stronger outbound shipments from Asian economies, with Southeast Asia and India standing out as key contributors.

The increase in demand coincided with inventory replenishment by businesses and a surge in e-commerce shipments ahead of the year-end festive period, reinforcing the role of air freight for time-sensitive goods.

Cargo capacity expanded slightly faster than demand, with available freight tonne kilometres increasing by 7.2% compared with the same month last year. As a result, the average international freight load factor edged down by 0.6 percentage points to 61.9%.

Commenting on the performance, AAPA Director General Subhas Menon said Asian airlines continued to benefit from seasonal patterns that favour expedited cargo movements. He noted that demand for rapid delivery of goods remained strong, in line with historical trends during the final quarter of the year.

The air cargo volumes for the first eleven months of 2025 rose by 5.6% year on year, highlighting the resilience of the sector as global supply chains increasingly diversified toward other Asian production hubs. Despite the positive momentum, airlines continue to face cost pressures linked to ongoing supply chain disruptions. However, the recent easing of oil prices has provided some operational relief for carriers.