Ontario International Airport in California saw airfreight volumes increase in the first half of this year. The hub attributed this to more locals trying to keep safe during the pandemic by shopping online rather than in shops.

From January through June this year, the hub processed 422,000 tonnes of cargo — one-fifth more than the 351,000 tonnes handled in the same period of last year.

The hub also posted a 29% year-on-year increase in volumes in the month of June – from 61,163 tonnes in 2019 to 79,152 tonnes this year.

Airfreight demand was up 12% year on year in February, but in March, as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was felt across the aviation industry, freight tonnage increased by 22%. Volumes then climbed 26% year on year in April and 24% in May.

Mark Thorpe, chief executive of the Ontario International Airport Authority, commented: “Ontario continues to be a focal point in the global supply chain that runs through Southern California, and a main reason why our region’s economy continues to weather the current recession comparatively well.”

“Month after month, Ontario Airport and our airline partners have demonstrated that our people and facilities are up to the task of shouldering an increasingly heavier workload, especially during this time of uncertainty.”

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