European airlines and integrators boosted Asia–Europe air cargo capacity by 31% in late March amid Middle East conflict disruptions, per Aevean data. European carriers led the expansion (+38%), while integrators surged +126%—though absolute tonne-km gains were larger for airlines due to higher baseline volumes. New services include My Freighter’s Tashkent–Frankfurt routes, DHL Global Forwarding’s Shanghai–Leipzig and Liège–Hong Kong flights, and Lufthansa Cargo’s expanded summer freighter schedule. Regional data shows Asia–Middle East capacity down 24% YoY and Middle East–Europe down 15%, underscoring systemic rerouting. For supply chain professionals, this signals heightened reliance on European-based capacity, accelerated adoption of multimodal network partnerships, and growing strategic weight of secondary hubs.
According to www.aircargonews.net, European airlines and integrators have rapidly expanded air cargo capacity on the Asia–Europe trade lane to offset disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict—filling a critical gap left by the suspension of routes through the region.
Sharp Capacity Uptick Driven by European Carriers
Consultant Aevean’s research shows that direct freighter and widebody cargo capacity from Asia to Europe rose 31% in the week ending 21 March compared with the week ending 28 February—the last full week before hostilities escalated in the Middle East. This surge was led by European-based airlines, which increased capacity by 38%, while integrators posted a 126% increase. Although integrators’ growth rate was higher, European airlines contributed more in absolute tonne-kilometres due to their larger baseline operations.
Other regions also responded: Asia Pacific airlines increased capacity by 13%, and North American carriers by 59%. Globally, however, overall air cargo capacity remained 2% below year-ago levels—significantly improved from the 20% year-on-year decline recorded at the peak of the crisis.
Regional Shifts Reflect Route Diversion
Aevean’s data reveals stark regional contrasts: capacity from the Asia Pacific into the Middle East fell 24% year on year, and Middle East–to–Europe capacity declined 15%. In contrast, Asia Pacific–to–Europe capacity jumped 31%, confirming a strategic rerouting of freight flows away from traditional Middle Eastern hubs.
New Capacity Announcements Signal Operational Response
Several European-linked operators have launched concrete service expansions:
- Uzbekistan-based My Freighter began new weekly flights effective 29 March linking Hanoi (HAN), Bangkok (BKK), and Almaty (ALA) via Tashkent (TAS) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA); it also added direct TAS–FRA services.
- DHL Global Forwarding introduced weekly dedicated flights connecting Shanghai to Leipzig and Liège to Hong Kong, leveraging its DHL Express network partnership to meet surging Asia–Europe demand.
- Lufthansa Cargo unveiled its summer freighter schedule, adding extra transpacific services and introducing new capacity to Delhi.
Practitioner Implications for Supply Chain Professionals
For global supply chain professionals, this reallocation underscores the growing importance of route agility and carrier diversification. With Middle East overflight restrictions persisting, shippers are actively rebalancing tender allocations toward European carriers and integrators offering guaranteed belly and freighter capacity on the Asia–Europe corridor. The rapid deployment of new point-to-point services—including those operated by non-traditional hubs like Tashkent—also highlights how secondary airports and emerging logistics nodes are gaining strategic relevance. Monitoring capacity trends via third-party analytics (e.g., Aevean) has become essential for forecasting lead times and managing spot-rate volatility. Moreover, forwarders integrating express networks—like DHL Global Forwarding’s use of DHL Express assets—demonstrate how internal network synergies can accelerate response times during geopolitical shocks.
This article was AI-assisted and reviewed by the SCI.AI editorial team before publication.
Source: aircargonews.net
