FedEx top of the tonnage pile in 2014

Integrated Logistics Associations Airlines

September 21, 2015

FedEx carried the most freight in 2014 followed by UPS and Emirates Airline, according to the 59th International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) yearbook.

WATS says last year, airlines operated around 100,000 flights per day and transported 51.3 million tonnes of cargo, equivalent to around 35 per cent of the total value of all goods traded internationally.

The top 10 carriers ranked by freight tonnes carried on scheduled services were FedEx (7.1 million), UPS (4.2 million), Emirates (2.3 million), Korean Air (1.5 million), Cathay Pacific Airways (1.5 million), China Southern Airlines (1.3 million), China Airlines (1.3 million), All Nippon Airways (1.2 million), Air China (1.2 million) and Qatar Airways (1.2 million).

WATS found globally, cargo markets showed a 5.8 per cent expansion in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs). This outstripped a capacity rise of five per cent and lifting load factors to 48 per cent. FedEx was the busiest airline by FTKs in 2014 with just over 16 billion, ahead of Emirates in second with 11.2 billion.

James Graham

James Graham is an award-winning transport media journalist with a long background in the commercial freight sector, including commercial aviation and the aviation supply chain. He was the initial Air Cargo Week journalist and retuned later for a stint as editor. He continues his association as editor of the monthly supplements. He has reported for the newspaper from global locations as well as the UK.