United Airlines cargo revenues, traffic increase by 20 percent

United Airlines saw air cargo revenues increase by more than 20% in the second quarter of the year as a result of improving freight traffic. The airline saw cargo revenues increase by 22.1% year-on-year during the second quarter of the year, while traffic was up 21.9% to 828m cargo ton miles.

It is the third quarter in a row that United has seen cargo demand and revenues improve compared with the previous year. Notably, United also saw its revenues per cargo ton mile creep up by 0.2% to 30.68 cents, mirroring improvements in airfreight rates on key trade lanes.

Whilst this is only a slight improvement on a year earlier and lags behind 2015 levels, it is the first time the airline has registered a year-on-year improvement in the measure since the first quarter of that year when the industry benefited from strike action at US west coast ports.

 

MIKE OCHONMA