African airlines have achieved the highest annual growth rate in international cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs) among all global regions, with an impressive 18.2% increase in May 2024.

This achievement, highlighted in the latest International Air Transport Association (IATA) report, underscores the robust growth and expanding influence of African carriers in the global air cargo market.

CTKs, a key metric in the aviation industry, measure air cargo volume by multiplying the weight of the cargo (in tonnes) by the distance flown (in kilometres).

This standardized measurement allows for a consistent comparison of cargo transport across different airlines and routes.

In addition to leading in annual growth, African airlines also recorded a month-on-month increase of 7.2% compared to April 2024, the highest among all carriers globally.

The IATA report noted, “Airlines registered in Africa and Asia Pacific led with the highest annual growth rates in international CTKs, with 18.2% and 18.1%, respectively.

For African carriers, the figure increased by 7.2 percentage points compared to April, the highest increase among all carriers.”

Following closely behind African airlines, carriers registered in the Asia-Pacific region reported an annual growth rate of 18.1% in international CTKs for May 2024.

European airlines experienced a 17.5% year-over-year increase, Middle Eastern carriers saw a 15.3% rise, and Latin American airlines had an 11.3% increase.

North American carriers exhibited the smallest annual growth, with a solid 9.6% year-over-year increase.

The IATA report also highlighted the strong expansion of air cargo traffic across multiple major route areas.

African airlines’ performance was particularly notable on the Africa-Asia route, which saw an outstanding annual growth rate of 40.6%, representing a significant jump of 14.8% compared to April.

This route has consistently maintained double-digit annual growth since September 2023, underscoring the robust demand for cargo services between these regions.

Similarly, the Middle East-Europe route recorded substantial annual growth of 33.8% in May 2024, reflecting the region’s increasing importance in global cargo networks.

The Within Europe trade lane also demonstrated impressive performance, with an annual surge of 25.6%.

This marked the fifth consecutive month of double-digit annual growth for this route, despite a notable drop of 10.2% from April’s figure.

These trends indicate a continued strong demand for air cargo services across various regions, driven by diverse economic activities and trade flows.

African airlines’ remarkable growth highlights their expanding role in global air cargo, particularly on key international routes, and underscores the region’s burgeoning economic potential.