US online shoppers' lift for air freight

United States shoppers heading online to buy Christmas presents gave a fillip to the air freight industry in November, the International Air Transport Association said today.

Freight traffic jumped 2.4 per cent compared with the previous month as demand boosted deliveries from the Asia-Pacific region, its figures showed. Iata is also predicting the first growth in global air freight markets for three years in 2013, with a 1.4 per cent rise in cargo volumes expected amid brighter signs for the world economy.

Its director general Tony Tyler said it was "premature" to call November's rise a turning point, but added: "When coupled with positive economic developments in the US and an improvement in business confidence in recent months, the conditions are aligning to see a return to growth in 2013."