COVID-19 Air Freight Update [Updated: 24th February, 2020]

Ocean Container Shortages Increase Pressure on Air Freight Capacity

Demand for air freight remains high following a December spike. Requirements for PPE and COVID-19 vaccine transportation ensure maintained pressure on depleted carrier capacity.

On all routes aside from the transpacific trade lane, capacity is only at around 80% of levels during this period last year.

Passenger airliner belly capacity is still largely absent from the market, and the capacity situation is generally considered critical, particularly in Asian markets. Space constraints are further exacerbated by the demand arising from ocean-freight container shortages.

Air transport specialists can find valuable guidelines and resources relating to the COVID-19 pandemic at the website run by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The Association’s Cargo Operations Status page includes the facility to search by carrier, and classifies operations as follows, depending on the known status:

• Normal
• Pending airline information
• Service suspended
• Some service impacts
• Unknown

The page also includes the date and time of the latest update, and links to the carriers’ information pages.