Trade tensions drag on air cargo

European air cargo volume has continued to slow into 2019, impacted by the lack of clarity over Brexit and the potential for an escalation in trade disputes with the US, according to Sebastian Scholte, chairman of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA).The Netherlands-based executive, who is also CEO of Jan De Rijk Logistics, said the slowdown was evident despite the reasonably sound economic performance of the region’s economies. “The fundamentals of the economies are still good, but it is mainly the insecurity regarding Brexit and potential trade wars — China-US, US-Europe — that are making shippers cautious,” he said. “I expect that as soon as the insecurity is gone, demand will pick up again.”