Air Freight traffic down

…..in the first quarter of the year. Via Air Cargo World:

U.S. domestic air cargo traffic took a sudden, steep turn downward in March, falling 5.5 percent, the largest decline in the business in nearly four years, according to the Air Transport Association. Overall cargo traffic for U.S. carriers fell 1 percent in March, the first decline since last June. International cargo edged up 2.7 percent, a figure that included just a 0.5 percent increase over last year in Atlantic air trade, the worst showing in that market since May 2005.

Cargo traffic growth for European airlines also slowed down sharply in March, expanding only 1.5 percent.

The increase reported by the Association of European Airlines was the lightest expansion in eight months and a sharp pullback from the 7.2 percent gain European carriers showed in February.

Air trade in March with Asia - the largest market for European carriers - was flat with the same month a year ago.

Higher fuel prices have air freight customers taking a serious look at ocean freight.