The return of international and domestic airlines prompting a 67 % rebound in network traffic at King Shaka International Airport, has resulted in Durban’s air cargo business recovering by some 55%.

Since April last year Dube TradePort Cargo Terminal processed 10 997 tonnes of cargo, an increase of 31% compared to the previous year.

“We have always maintained that once we have the airfreight capacity, freight forwarders and shippers will choose to fly cargo directly into Durban.

“This positive movement reaffirms our understanding of the KZN air cargo market,” said Dube TradePort senior manager: cargo development and operations, Ricardo Isaac.

“If you look at the historical trends, between 2015 and 2020 the cargo terminal managed to capture more than a 60% share of the KwaZulu-Natal air cargo market, effectively doubling volumes being processed through Durban.

“This was a direct result of increasing airfreight capacity with the introduction of new passenger services.”

“When Comair exited the market, it left a capacity gap of around -38% for King Shaka International Airport.

“Fortunately, operators such as FlySafair, Airlink, CemAir and Lift have come in to fill the void on the domestic routes, adding much-needed capacity.

“The resumption of SAA on the route also contributed to available capacity, while on the regional front Airlink successfully relaunched the Durban-Harare route last year.

“As we enter the second quarter of 2023, we are working with ProFlight Zambia to re-establish the Durban-Lusaka route,” said Isaac.

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