Demand for air freight rose by 6.1 per cent in November 2013 compared with same month in the previous year.

New figures released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also show a steady recovery in demand throughout the whole of last year, while the average load factor for November increased to 49.2 per cent. This constituted a rise of 0.7 percentage points against the previous year.

Tony Turner, IATA’s director general and CEO, said: “The November results are encouraging - particularly for carriers in the Asia-Pacific region. The good news is largely being driven by improving economic prospects in China along with an overall boost on Asian trade routes. The uptick is a welcome development in a weak performing market.”

The Middle East proved to be the strongest performer, with an increase of 16.5 per cent. However the recovery is uneven, with the Latin America and Africa regions actually reporting a contraction in demand.