FedEx has once again topped IATA’s cargo rankings, but it’s not growing as fast as its competitors who are chasing the title for 2022.
More often associated with small parcels and last-mile deliveries, Federal Express has once again emerged as the world's top cargo airline. The data is prepared by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as part of its World Air Transport Statistics package.
In 2021, Federal Express (FedEx) recorded 20.7 billion Cargo Tonne Kilometers (CTK), 5.1% ahead of the 19.66 billion CTK in 2020. While FedEx retained its position at the top of the ladder, its volume growth weakened compared to 2020, when it grew by 12.3% over 2019. Its growth rate was also the third lowest in the Top 25 table, ahead of only Cathay Pacific with 1% and Polar Air Cargo, which went backward by 1.3%. Overall CTK traffic increased by 18% year on year in 2021, with the leading growth rates recorded by All Nippon Airways (60%), Atlas Air (55%), Turkish Airlines (32%), Singapore Airlines (31%), and Korean Air (28%).
The table of the Top 25 cargo carriers is ranked by scheduled Cargo Tonnes Kilometers (CTK). CTK or Freight Tonne Kilometers (FTK) measures actual freight traffic and is the cargo equivalent of revenue-passenger kilometers. One FTK is one metric tonne of revenue load carried one kilometer. The sum of FTKs for every flight stage flown by every aircraft over a period is the FTK of an airline over that period. To avoid ambiguity, CTK explicitly includes unaccompanied baggage and mail. Simply measuring cargo performance by weight is not enough, as it misses the crucial element of how far that weight is carried.
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The top five carriers by CTK were FedEx (20.7 billion), Qatar Airways (16b), United Parcel Service (15.5b), Emirates (11.8b), and Korean Air (10.4b). The 25th largest cargo carrier by CTK was US-based Polar Air Cargo with 3.4 billion, just behind Etihad Airways with 3.5b. As a sign of how freight has blossomed during COVID, the Top 25 recorded 194.1 billion CTK, a 14% increase from the 170 billion in 2018.
It may surprise some or none that FedEx has a fleet of 410 aircraft, with 62 more on order. Based on ch-aviation.com data, its Airbus aircraft are 43 A300-600Fs and 24 A300-600R(F)s. From Boeing, it has two B747-400FSCD, 108 B757-200(SF), 116 B767-300F and 51 B777-200F aircraft. The only other types are nine MD-10-30Fs and 57 MD-11Fs. FedEx's result came from strong demand for e-commerce, COVID vaccines, personal protective equipment and related supplies. It also handled increased volume from international export and US domestic package freight.
Second place getter Qatar Airways grew its market from pandemic-related charters and the resumption of passenger operations, with its accompanying belly-hold capacity. Qatar also increased capacity with the arrival of three new Boeing B777 freighters at the start of 2021. United Parcel Service, or its carrier UPS Airlines, added 1.2 billion CTK in 2021, taking full advantage of its fleet of 291 aircraft, of which all but 14 are in active service. The UPS workhorses are 75 Boeing B757-200P2Fs, 72 B767-300Fs, 52 Airbus A300-600Fs and 42 MD-11F airplanes. Some of Asia's biggest carriers dropped places, including China Southern Airlines, China Airlines, Air China and Asiana. Cathay Pacific dropped four places, with its 2021 CTK dropping by nearly 30% compared to pre-pandemic 2018.
It's hard to see that e-commerce will slow in the post-COVID era so do you think smaller airlines will start adding more freight capacity to their fleets?
Source: aircargonews.net
Journalist – A professional aviation journalist writing across the industry spectrum. Michael uses his MBA and corporate business experience to go behind the obvious in search of the real story. A strong network of senior aviation contacts mixed with a boyhood passion for airplanes helps him share engaging content with fellow devotees. Based in Melbourne, Australia.