‘Red Sea detours push urgent cargo towards air freight’

Mat Bruton, Director, Burton Aviation Consultancy, said, “The Red Sea detours are stretching shipping times, driving more urgent freight toward air transport—a silver lining for our sector. And with e-commerce booming, cargo hubs such as Hong Kong are now handling up to 138 freighters a day—70 per cent of it tied to online shopping. The momentum is undeniable. We have outlasted countless disruptions, and we will still be here long after the passenger industry has transformed—or even faded—as virtual reality evolves. But cargo? You cannot digitise physical goods. In 2024, global tourism generated US$ 1.4 trillion, yet air cargo moved goods worth US$ 9 trillion. That is the scale and impact of our business.”