Airlines will continue to adjust capacity to account for shifts in volume, but the volatility of US trade policy and continued demand growth fueled by the AI boom will make this more difficult.

Data from consultants Trade and Transport Group shows the impact of regulatory changes as  de minimis traffic fell significantly while regular air cargo increased.

As economists question whether the US consumer is finally pulling back as tariff costs increasingly show in store prices, another major generator of freight manufacturing orders is showing signs of sputtering.

Rising e-commerce volume out of Vietnam is being piled on top of sustained and heavy demand for high-tech shipments, with space on freighters in short supply.

Group CEO Tobias Meyer said DHL’s freight division was affected by a weak global economy as well as a peak season in ocean freight that “failed to materialize.”

With calculations based on weight, the burden of CO2 emissions generated by passenger aircraft is being unfairly placed on the freight carried below decks, forwarders say.

Even another round of US tariffs and ongoing geopolitical concerns would be unlikely to blunt the growth, with airlines able to rapidly adjust capacity to support shifting trade flows, delegates at a global air cargo forum were told.

Even another round of US tariffs and ongoing geopolitical concerns would be unlikely to blunt the growth, with airlines able to rapidly adjust capacity to support shifting trade flows, delegates at a global air cargo forum were told.

But the forwarding and logistics company said its ocean freight business dropped amid low demand and high vessel capacity.

International lanes that don’t touch the US are growing package volumes faster as higher US tariffs disrupt established patterns, UPS said in its latest earnings report.

Markets such as high tech and perishables are showing strong growth and, combined with shifting trade patterns in Asia, will help offset the lack of a traditional air peak season this quarter, forwarders say.

Tender season is a time when shippers traditionally look to switch forwarders, so signing them to new contracts will be the real test of the DSV-DB Schenker integration, DSV CFO Michael Ebbe says.

But freighter operators were prepared for the frontloading, and no capacity shortages are being reported on China-US routes, according to Tiaca.

As production shifts to counter the impact of US tariffs, the diversification of consumer markets will create new growth opportunities for the air freight industry, observers say.

Robust international demand was led by the growth on the Asia-Europe trade that IATA attributes to a modal shift from ocean and evolving import rules from Washington that have diverted shipments from the trans-Pacific.

But the expansion of data processing power and storage to facilitate AI algorithms and cloud data will not be an explosive game changer in the manner of e-commerce, according to analysts.

But the expansion of data processing power and storage to facilitate AI algorithms and cloud data will not be an explosive game changer in the manner of e-commerce, according to analysts.

Smaller airports in Europe have positioned themselves as business-friendly entry points for cross-border e-commerce traffic that moves mostly on freighters, according to consultancy Trade and Transport Group.

The role of the Southeast Asian powerhouse in global trade is accelerating, fueled by geographic advantages, a skilled workforce and consistent inflows of foreign investment, says DHL Express.

Super typhoon Ragasa is the 19th named storm to hit the region this year, with container terminals shutting down and airlines preparing to ground flights from Tuesday night.