Asia Pacific international air cargo demand, expressed in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), fell by 4.8% in 2011 – a reflection of weakening world trade conditions, said AAPA.

In spite of the decline in freight demand, offered freight capacity matched that of the previous year, leading to a 3.4 percentage point decline in the average international freight load factor, to 66.6%.

Andrew Herdman, AAPA’s Director General, said, “The year saw air cargo demand weaken significantly, compared with the restocking surge experienced in 2010, reflecting cautious management of supply chain inventories in the expectation of relatively weaker growth prospects for the major developed economies.”

Looking ahead, he added, “Uncertainty over prospects for the global economy in 2012 has somewhat overshadowed the immediate outlook, and airlines worldwide are bracing themselves for another challenging year ahead.

“Overall, however, Asian airlines still remain optimistic about longer-term growth prospects, as evidenced by ambitious fleet plans, ongoing service enhancements, and the launch of innovative new business ventures.”