Rising e-commerce demand, uneven belly-freight recovery, infrastructure strain and freight theft transformed air cargo in 2025, forcing carriers and handlers to rethink operations, reports London's Air Cargo Week. The industry now enters 2026 more adaptive, collaborative and tech-enabled.

Passenger travel strengthened last year, but belly freight remained weak, with Russian airspace restrictions continuing to drag capacity. Carriers serving Asia-Americas and Asia-LATAM routes absorbed demand spikes at short notice.

Amazon Air's 98.9 per cent on-time performance set a new benchmark, with customers normalising accelerated convenience. Rising demand for late cut-offs, rapid uplift and tighter supply chain integration is reshaping expectations.

Infrastructure challenges persisted, with Alliance Ground International noting delays of six to eight weeks to badge new staff at some airports. While digitisation is advancing, customs and inland transport costs in Latin America continue to add friction.

Supply chains in the Americas shifted, with Brazil, Chile and Colombia evolving into consumer markets. Mexico remained central, but 2025 was marked by near-sourcing rather than nearshoring. New freighter links into Sao Paulo, Santiago and Bogota diversified flows.

Freight theft resurfaced as a major concern, particularly in Mexico, Brazil and parts of the US. Carriers responded with AI monitoring, hardened storage and bonded trucking, but organised groups exploited visibility gaps during transit.

Partnerships emerged as critical infrastructure, with carriers deepening ties with handlers, tech firms and forwarders. Executives expect 2026 to bring policy risk, USMCA review uncertainty and evolving Asia-LATAM demand, but remain optimistic about turning volatility into opportunity.