Global air cargo volumes recovered in mid-September, rebounding from the seasonal slump tied to Labour Day observances in the United States and Canada, according to weekly data from WorldACD Market Data. Chargeable weight rose for a fourth consecutive week, with tonnages, rates and capacity all running above prior-year levels across major regions.

For freight forwarders and shippers planning fourth-quarter capacity, the figures point to a strengthening market ahead of the traditional peak season.

In the week ending September 20, global tonnages increased 2% from the previous week. The gain was driven largely by a 14% recovery in volumes originating from North America, which returned traffic to levels seen in the weeks before the Labour Day disruption.

Not every region followed the upward trend. Volumes from the Middle East and South Asia (MESA) fell 4% week on week, and Africa recorded a matching 4% decline.

Compared with the same week a year earlier, worldwide tonnages were 8% higher. Asia Pacific origins led the year-on-year expansion with 11% growth, followed by North America at 8% and Europe at 6%. Both MESA and Central and South America (CSA) posted more modest gains of 2% each.

In week 38, average worldwide air freight rates held broadly steady on a full-market basis, which blends spot and contract pricing. Africa posted the largest week-on-week increase, with average rates climbing 6% to $2.47 per kilogram.

On a full-market basis, global rates stood 24% above the prior-year level. MESA led the year-on-year comparison with a 49% rise, while rates from Europe and Africa each increased 26% and Asia Pacific rates rose 21%.

Average worldwide spot rates also remained largely unchanged at $3.45 per kilogram, even as jet fuel prices rose again. Africa recorded the biggest weekly spot-rate increase at 7%, while spot rates from Asia Pacific and Europe each edged up 1%. Those gains were offset by declines in North America, down 4%; MESA, down 2%; and CSA, down 1%.

Compared with a year earlier, the global spot-rate average was 33% higher. Every region posted year-on-year gains, most of at least 25%, with CSA the outlier at 5%. MESA led with spot rates 52% above a year earlier, followed by North America at 34%, Africa at 31%, Asia Pacific at 30% and Europe at 29%.

The decline in MESA tonnages was most pronounced on routes to the United States, where volumes fell 5% week on week. Traffic from India dropped 5%, Bangladesh fell 17% and Sri Lanka declined 10%, while volumes from some Gulf markets remained erratic.

MESA-to-Europe traffic proved steadier, gaining 1% week on week. A rise in volumes from Bangladesh partly offset a 14% decrease from Sri Lanka.

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