Airfreight Insights

The military escalation in the Middle East has significantly impacted the global airfreight industry, which is still facing widespread airspace closures, reduced capacities and soaring jet fuel prices.

One of the key takeaways of the past weeks is “expect the unexpected”, as the current situation remains highly volatile and fluid.

Our current market analysis

• Immediately after the start of the military escalation, the closure of airspace in the Middle East (specifically Qatar and the UAE) resulted in an 18% loss of global air freight capacity, mainly affecting the three major Gulf airlines: Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad. 

• These airlines hold a significant portion of global air cargo capacity and have since partially resumed their flight schedules. Emirates is operating at approximately 70%, Etihad at around 65% and Qatar Airways at about 45% of pre-war flight capacity.

• These disruptions are significant and have led to constrained cargo capacity across the network, resulting in less available space for air cargo and thus driving up rate levels.

• Airlines are continuously increasing their fuel surcharges due to a constant rise in oil prices. For example, Singapore kerosene prices have been on a steady upward trend, reaching 218.60 US dollars per barrel, which is considerably higher than in spring 2022 (164.52 US dollars), right after the start of the Russian war in Ukraine.

• The most strongly affected trade lanes are naturally those to and from the Middle East, as most of the capacity on these lanes is held by Middle Eastern carriers, whose airspace is still partially closed.

• Furthermore, trade lanes to/from India are also heavily affected, since more than 40% of the capacity to and from India was operated by Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad before the war.

• From a cargo perspective, the Gulf airlines are giving top priority to special commodities such as foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, as well as any other essential products destined for the Gulf countries. One carrier informed us that majority of their resources are being used by the UAE’s National Emergency Food Response program.

Current market assessment from April 14, 2026:

Current Key Takeaways

Practical Recommendations for Customers

• Land/Air and Air/Air Solutions: We can provide Land-Air transport out of Vietnam (VN) and Thailand (TH), as well as Air-Air solutions via our hub in Thailand. Cargo can originate from China or any Southeast Asian country, with an additional land transit time of 3-5 days.

• Rail Solutions: Rail transport via the Iron Silk Road is a viable alternative for LCL and FCL cargo from Asia (China, South Korea, Vietnam, Japan) to Europe. Although there is a backlog on the CN/KZ border, the transit time is still competitive and varies between 17 and 25 days depending on type of train and routing. Please be aware that due to high demand, rates are increasing and capacity for April is already very tight. Eastbound demand is increasing as well. We recommend booking as early as possible to secure your allocation.

Your cargo-partner representative is ready to help you navigate the current situation, assess the potential impacts on your supply chain, and secure the best transport solution for your shipments.

cargo-partner Consolidation Services:

• Competitive pricing

• Secured space on weekly flights

• Pre-carriage and on-carriage services

• Comprehensive customs clearance services

• First and Last-Mile solutions with extensive local network

• Supervision by local offices at origin and destination

cargo-partner Key Gateways

• Dual gateway VIE/BUD to cover the Central and Eastern European region

• Coverage of China by our gateways in South, Central and North China

• Our gateways offer extensive connectivity and advanced infrastructure

• Dedicated gateway teams in Europe and Asia ensure streamlined operations 

• Benefit from regular consolidation programs with competitive pricing