Demand for air cargo remains high – as several industry challenges experienced in 2021 are not going away.According to Glyn Hughes, International Air Cargo Association (Tiaca) director general, of particular concern are the capacity challenges arising from reduced global passenger networks and the pressure on manpower, within facilities and on the road.“As an industry we are also dealing with the ever-changing international regulations related to crew testing and quarantine, which place further stresses on the system. Against these operational issues we expect demand to remain strong, with considerable growth in e-commerce and continued growth in the cool chain sector.”Hughes told Freight News that with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) forecasting that the global economy would grow by 4.5% in the coming year, with historically low inventory levels, this would place strain on all modes of freight transport.He said in the air sector, Covid-induced travel restrictions affecting passengers and crew would continue to impact passenger networks which in turn would have a severe impact on air cargo capacity.“Sadly, the dramatic increase in Omicron variant cases is resulting in a number of countries reintroducing further restrictions, impacting consumer and business activity. We also see other states maintaining a zero tolerance policy regarding Covid cases, resulting in port and cargo facilities being closed at short notice when cases are identified. This places considerable additional strain on supply chains when short notice disruption management solutions are required.”Hughes said now, more than ever, there was a need for the airfreight sector to be agile and respond to rapidly changing and challenging conditions. “The need to work much more collaboratively with customers and partners to plan early to secure capacity and to prepare for contingencies is of crucial importance. The need to focus on ensuring the workforce remains engaged and connected, particularly considering the remote status of many teams, is another priority,” he said.
