What does air cargo's early peak season mean for peak season?

Air cargo volumes grew 12% year over year in May. The airfreight volumes at Vienna Airport in Austria (pictured) increased 16% in the first quarter from the same period in 2023. (Photo: Flughafen Wien AG) Demand and rates for airfreight transportation continue to soar through the normally soft summer season, powered by the unrelenting strength of e-commerce fulfillment from China and shippers pulling forward orders for the winter holidays to protect against rising costs, capacity shortages and worsening ocean shipping delays. Air cargo volumes remain elevated from major Asian and Middle Eastern origins, especially to Europe, amid cascading effects on…