The peak season of air cargo – which according to some observers will be strong, is coming, indeed it is already here.

Several shippers interviewed by Loadstar said they were trying to secure hold for the upcoming winter season, and that they had seen some excitement especially with the approach of Chinese Golden Week. According to Flexport’s EMEA air shipping manager David Wystrach, the one underway may be the last “calm week before the storm”, while another anonymous operator said he has already seen an “increase in air freight rates”. , and this still without having observed the effect on demand of the launches of new technological products (for example Apple’s Watch and iPad, just presented).

Wystrach added that he believes that the next peak season will, however, be driven more by the shortage of hold (in particular the lack of belly capacity in many passenger flights) rather than by an increase in demand, “with the exception of products in route and the possible impact of the distribution of a vaccine “.

The connection is part of the operator’s Global flight operations program, which overall connects Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou and Hong Kong to Chicago and Frankfurt ten times a week with full charter flights. Some freight forwarder had started this new type of service, which joins the Block Space Agreements it has with various airlines since the beginning of the year, with the outbreak of the pandemic.

The big Italian shipping players are also doing something similar, who for some days have been promoting the availability of cargo holdings they have purchased by hiring cargo planes mainly used with North America and China.