In its 2016 outlook, IATA does predict that airfreight demand will increase next year by 3 percent, compared to 1.9 percent growth seen in 2015, which slightly ahead of the expected 2.7 percent GDP growth. However, this pace is expected to be muted by changes in today's supply chains. "Prior to the Global Financial Crisis, this pace of economic growth would have generated much faster international trade and air cargo growth, but that pattern of growth appears to have stopped as companies bring supply chains closer to home," IATA said.

The association said the industry is expected to transport 52.7 million tonnes of cargo, globally, in 2016, compared to about 51.3 million tonnes this year. The increase, IATA said, would have been even higher were it not for “a tough global economic environment and feeble world trade” that have conspired to subdue airfreight demand. “Emerging markets have struggled — a slowdown in China has sent commodity exporters wobbling,” the report stated.

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