By Kim Hyun-cheol
Staff Reporter
Thanks to surging exports of information technology (IT) products, South Korea's air freight is expected to hit new highs this year, according to local air carriers.
Korean Air, the nation's largest airline firm and the world's largest cargo air carrier, posted a total of 30,834 tons of outbound freight traffic in September, up 33 percent from a year earlier, for its highest-ever monthly record. The figure moved up to 33,066 tons last month, and is expected to reach the 35,000-ton mark this month.
Its overall air cargo operations are also on a steep rise, with a forecasted 98,500 tons this month, a 57-percent year-on-year growth. The company handled 96,000 tons in cargo services in September, up 13 percent from a year earlier, its first positive turn in 15 months, and added 400 more tons last month.
Asiana Airlines is also enjoying a huge jump in freight deliveries, as they had 54,000 tons in September and 58,000 tons in October, rising over 8 percent from the previous year. The industry expects the carrier to hit a new high in outbound freight as well.
A rapid swell of IT exports to Europe and North America is the biggest reason for increasing air cargo, the industry says. Technology exports such as semiconductors, mobile phones and computer parts heavily rely on airlines for timely deliveries.
According to data from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, exports of such products edged up 0.7 percent to $12 billion last month, and $98.4 billion this year. Their overall trades have posted a steep upward trend in recent months.
Cargo services here are likely to swing to profits in the fourth quarter, despite the fact that overall global cargo volume is not showing any signs of resuming its pre-financial crisis level, local analysts say.
Both carriers plan to expand flights to meet the mounting demand. Korean Air has added 23 cargo airplanes in the last two months, and will put a record-high 41 more into operation in November.
Asiana also increased its cargo flights earlier this month, in addition to setting up a freight branch in Milan. A new freighter route for the Italian industrial city started Wednesday.