To suggest that predicting the outlook for the economy in general and logistics in particular for the remainder of 2021 is an easy task would be a gambler’s dream. However, the overall health of air cargo and air freight services remain buoyant now, continuing the pandemic impacted trend of 2020 and look fortified to continue stable or upward progression for the foreseeable future.
While society, the economy, trade, and our previous concept of normalcy has been flipped upside down over the last fifteen months, the air freight market is one of the limited areas where there were immediate positive impacts to the sector, which have only continued to manifest throughout this global crisis. Beginning with an explosion in demand for PPE and related inventories to combat the early challenges of the response, the global supply chain came to the instant reality that what was needed was either not available or at best in entirely the wrong location. The normal day-to-day demand for urgent freight suddenly had a new mushrooming need for international air cargo capacity that even with the best-laid plans could not be met.
As air passenger numbers slowed and then essentially ceased the demand for air cargo services skyrocketed at an inverse rate. Suddenly lockdowns and stay-at-home restrictions meant that the need for eCommerce and rapid shipping went from steadily increasing as they have for decades to unprecedented demand. Demands that were was erratic, unpredictable, and further complicated by output being equally hampered by restrictions that changed daily.
While many commercial airlines were slow to react Southwest immediately recognized that their vast domestic network could instantly provide air cargo solutions that months earlier would have been a complete mismatch for their operations. By as early as last March they offered air cargo only services.
Now that we’re over a year into what is our new normal the outlook for air freight services is a rare positive in these turbulent times. Prices are holding steady, capacity has grown and efficiencies continue to be implemented. Whilst so much of the stability has been driven by pandemic reactions the best news of all is that traditional demand is finally beginning to recover, beginning exactly where you would anticipate in the Asian/Pacific market.
At The Expedited Company, we remain ready to help you with your domestic air freight services, whether next-day air shipments for heavier cargo overnight nationwide or same-day air shipping for smaller items via the commercial airlines. Whatever you need you can rely on our door-door-services, professional oversight throughout with regular updates, and prices that are the most competitive in our sector for last-minute and time-critical shipping.
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