We are the voice of the freight forwarding industry.

During this challenging time, the Airforwarders Association continues to serve as a strong advocate for the freight forwarding industry to protect your business.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) global pandemic continues to spread and cause disruptions to many Airforwarders Association members and their families. We are working to provide as much information about news and resources available to members to use as we navigate through this challenging situation.

Please see our C OVID-19 Resources page for daily updates.

Now is the time for Congress to help airforwarders.

Watch "AfA Congressional Relief" below by AfA Executive Director Brandon Fried

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Air Cargo Industry News

Cargo prices skyrocketing as companies and the federal government rush medical supplies to the US
(CNN)The cost to ship goods to the US has jumped up in recent weeks as demand for medical supplies and other goods has skyrocketed and the number of flights has dropped amid the global coronavirus pandemic. Hospitals, states and numerous front-line businesses have been desperate to acquire personal protective equipment, much of it coming from China. The urgent need for supplies has come at the same time that much of the world's travel has ground to a halt. Around 50% of the world's cargo flies in the bellies of passenger planes, so as flight capacity has dropped 65% this quarter, the amount of air cargo space has plummeted and prices jumped sharply. The shortage of air cargo space is making it substantially more expensive and more difficult for importers to bring urgently needed medical supplies into the country. In the worst cases, goods are getting stuck at airports or rerouted and trucked over land in an attempt to speed up shipments. The US has banned most foreign nationals traveling from China, Europe and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, countries around the world have locked down their populations in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. Richard Thompson, president of the Americas for Air Charter Service, said prices are fluctuating a great deal, but a month ago, the cost to charter a full 747 from East Asia to the United States was $500,000. Now, he's seen pricing on the same route as high as $1.2 million. Shippers are also often having to pay a round trip price for airlifting goods from China, because the economic shutdown means very little is being sent in the opposite direction. Continue Reading
Unprecedented turbulence hits air cargo industry
With the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the current prospects for the air cargo industry are bleak. Before COVID-19 had much of an impact on cargo volumes, International Air Transport Association (IATA) data had already reported that demand, measured in cargo tonne kilometers (CTKs), decreased by 3.3% in January 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, while capacity rose by 2.1%. These figures were their worst since 2012. In the meantime, freight performance was its weakest since the global financial crisis in 2009 when airfreight markets contracted by 9.7%. January also marked the 10th consecutive month of year-on-year declines in cargo volumes. “There was optimism that an easing of U.S.-China trade tensions would give the sector a boost in 2020,” says Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO. “But that has been overtaken by the COVID-19 outbreak, which has severely disrupted global supply chains. We’re in unknown territory, and, for sure, 2020 will be another challenging year for the air cargo business. Tough times are ahead.” ATA maintains that it’s unlikely COVID-19 had much to do with January’s weak performance. “Complicating freight volumes and load factors is the fact the Chinese Lunar New Year started early this year—January 25 compared to February 5 last year—and was extended two weeks due to the coronavirus,” says Niall van de Wouw, managing director of Amsterdam-based CLIVE Data Services. Continue Reading
Airforwarders Association executive director stresses the importance of air cargo amidst covid-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has scrambled America’s freight landscape, causing supply chain disruptions as well as increased demand for medical and consumer goods that are scarce. In a race against time, many shippers are relying on the air freight industry to get critical goods to their destinations. Brandon Fried, executive director of The Airforwarders Association, explained the importance of the air freight industry and how it has adapted to accommodate the needs of a nation in crisis with FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller on the FreightWavesTV show, “Fuller Speed Ahead.” The Airforwarders Association (AfA) is a global alliance of indirect air carriers, cargo airlines and affiliated businesses. The association represents member companies, ranging from small businesses to those with over 1,000 people, dedicated to moving cargo throughout the supply chain, according to its website. Freid said that many of AfA’s members are suffering economic hardships due to the coronavirus outbreak. For instance, freight forwarders involved heavily in automotive transport as well as the niche markets such as the entertainment industry have seen declines in business as Americans participate in social distancing. Continue Reading
Airlines feel pressure to maintain minimum level of domestic service
The rapid spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. is raising questions among shippers about whether domestic airlines will virtually stop flying or the U.S. government will shut down the aviation system. Either move is extremely unlikely, but air traffic is so depleted already that companies with cargo to move have few options for expedited transport by air. Even though airlines are bleeding cash and looking for every way to eliminate costs, they still have some incentives to keep part of their fleet in the air. There were only 154,000 domestic travelers at U.S. airports on Monday, a 93% decrease from normal levels, according to the Transportation Security Administration. And the screening levels likely include airline crews. Airlines say flights are only 10% full and many are nearly empty. Last week, the governor of Hawaii imposed a 14-day quarantine on all travelers to the state, prompting Hawaiian Airlines and others to suspend most flights to Honolulu. Southwest Airlines [NYSE: LUV] on Tuesday published a new schedule for May through June 5 that reduces flight activity by more than 40% to about 2,000 flights per day. Continue Reading

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We are the voice of the freight forwarding industry.

Air Cargo Industry News

Cargo prices skyrocketing as companies and the federal government rush medical supplies to the US

Unprecedented turbulence hits air cargo industry

Airforwarders Association executive director stresses the importance of air cargo amidst covid-19

Airlines feel pressure to maintain minimum level of domestic service

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