WORLDWIDE Flight Services (WFS) chief executive Craig Smyth declared that air cargo plays a significant role as more shipping groups invest in aircraft fleets while e-commerce boosts demand, reports London's Financial Times.
"We're pretty excited about [that] growth," said Mr Smyth. "Because of ecommerce, there's definitely a shift that is structural, that is permanent."
Paris-based WFS is one of several companies involved in a deal making spree in the air cargo sector.
Meanwhile, the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is preparing to launch its first air cargo service in the coming months.
Ecommerce giant Amazon has also been expanding its own air fleet, running an average of 164 flights a day towards the end of last year.
These investments follow a boom in demand during the Covid crisis for deliveries by air, a faster but more costly option than sea transport.
In 2021, the volume of goods moved by air jumped 18.7 per cent compared with the previous year.
Volumes reached the highest level since 2010. However, demand has since plunged, with cargo volumes falling below pre-Covid crisis levels in recent months.
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