Brendan Sullivan, IATA Global Head of Cargo, told delegates at the Global Media Day cargo session that air cargo played a pivotal role in offsetting 2025 tariff disruptions through trade front-loading and redirection.
Mr Sullivan explained Chinese exporters and importers rerouted shipments rapidly ahead of US tariffs, with air cargo enabling growth that exceeded expectations and underpinned GDP stability.
He noted cargo tonne kilometres stayed positive despite near-zero trade expansion, a unique phenomenon contrasting historical patterns where low trade reduced volumes.
Sullivan highlighted capacity constraints from low new deliveries and extended use of older freighters, limiting fleet growth.
He projected moderated cargo demand for 2026 as air freight competitiveness waned against sea options post-2025 surge.
Brendan Sullivan shared “air cargo totally came to the world’s rescue just as they did uh during the COVID period. This is a very unique phenomenon that happened in 2025 and it wouldn’t have happened without air cargo because the ships would have been too slow to get the goods in to the right harbor in time ahead of these um uh protectionist measures biting. we’re expecting somewhat less uh cargo growth going forward but uh still um you know insist on this remarkable and unexpected contribution to that our industry did to GDP this year.”
