Air cargo volumes across Asia Pacific grew 1.8 per cent in 2016 with business picking up in the second half, making up for a slow start to the year, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) says.

Cargo recorded in freight tonne kilometres (FTK) contracted 2.2 per cent in the first six months of 2016 before a 5.7 per cent rebound in the second half, pushing FTKs up 1.8 per cent to 66.2 billion.

AAPA director general, Andrew Herdman comments: “After a lacklustre start to the year, air cargo markets picked up pace in the second half of the year, with broad-based expansion in manufacturing production and international exports, supplemented by growth in demand from expanding consumer markets in Asia.”

Capacity for the year in freight available tonne kilometres (FATK) was up 3.5 per cent to 106 billion and the load factor was down one percentage point to 62.5 per cent.

In December, FTKs were up 8.7 per cent to 6.1 billion and FATKs by 4.9 per cent to 9.3 billion, with load factors rising 2.3 percentage points to 65.7 per cent.