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+1.33% growth (CYTD August 2022 vs industries, pilot shortage, a slower rate On solid footing
CYTD August 2021). This seems to reflect of training and licensing, and flight can- Even as economic uncertainty marred the
the change in consumer behaviour for cellations saw many US airlines report- gains made by the air cargo sector in the
ease of making purchases online rather edly cancelling more than 21,000 flights US, Jimmy Nares struck a positive note as
than at traditional in-person retail stores.” or about 2.7 percent of the scheduled he told the publication, “While geopolitical
Nares added, “At MIA, strong growth total flights this summer. Many experts issues always loom over the success of the
in freighter routes with Asia, particu- believe that what may have saved the cargo industry, and may negatively impact
larly with China also points to growth in day for the sector is that several Ameri- it in the short-term, the long-term cargo
e-commerce and to a strong upcoming can airlines had begun recruiting again trajectory for global airfreight (and for the
holiday season. Before the pandemic, in the middle of 2021. However, with a USA) seems to be on solid footing. With the
during the fourth quarter of 2019, MIA peak holiday season looming, will this global population continuing to grow, with
had direct freighter service with 4 Asian be enough? increased purchasing power of the growing
markets served by 6 airlines. Currently, As per data compiled by the US Depart- middle classes of many large key markets,
in the fourth quarter of 2022, MIA has ment of Transportation, the US airline indus- with strong job growth in many parts of
a direct freighter service with 7 Asian try (passenger and cargo airlines combined) the world (such as in the USA currently),
cities served by 7 airlines. While MIA- employment increased to 769,106 workers and with robust growth in demand for e-
NRT (Tokyo-Narita) freighter service was in August 2022, 1,334 (0.17%) more work- commerce purchasing, the global demand
halted, service with 4 new cities in China ers than in July 2022 (767,772) and 26,780 for air freight should continue to grow well
have been added – Shanghai, Shenzhen, (3.61%) more than in pre-pandemic August into the future.”
Wuhan, and Xiamen.” 2019 (742,326). U.S. cargo airlines employed While Chris Gregg, SVP Global Air-
However, the usually upbeat e-commerce 274,966 workers in August, which was 36% freight, SEKO Logistics told the publica-
market has also shown signs of cooling ow- of the industry total. tion, "For certain, demand over the last
ing to inflation, higher inventories, shifting Further US cargo airlines employed several months in the US has declined
consumer patterns, lower-than-expected e- 246,660 FTEs (Full-Time Equivalents) in when compared against the same time
commerce volumes, etc. “The e-commerce August, down 1,203 FTEs (0.49%) from period of last year. That said, 2022 will
segment has been growing a lot over the July. US cargo airlines have increased FTEs still be a growth year overall for the
last few years. Remember that Amazon by 17,124 (7.46%) since pre-pandemic market, with an IATA forecasted (released
has its own operation now. I believe that August 2019. in June) 68 million tonnes of global air
e-commerce is fundamental for a successful “The shortage of staff is a long-term cargo. This includes all the headwinds
holiday season,” says Fernando Garreton, VP situation faced worldwide after Covid-19, the market has faced. Even with a 10%
Americas at TAM Group. therefore we don’t see a potential crush pullback from 2019 to 2020, the overall
during this peak season in particular. Ad- market from 2019 to the current 2022
Labour continues to be a ditionally we believe that considering all forecast is growing at a CAGR of ~3.5%.
challenge the slowing down in different key coun- With the unpredictable service levels
While Europe has experienced one of its tries and the current level of inflation are impacting the other modes we feel this
most chaotic summers in aviation, American creating a perfect storm, that will create trend is likely to continue, even with the
aviation also suffered from severe labour in the near future a higher level of unem- current slowdown. Regardless of the
shortages, especially in cargo handling. ployment, balancing the current level of condition, however, we at SEKO, with our
A spate of layoffs during the pandem- workforce demand,” said Alejandro Inga, customer and employee-centric focus,
ic, air cargo workers shifting to other AVP Americas - TAM group. expect to outgrow the market."
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