ATA: U.S. AIR CARGO ROSE 3.7% IN 2002

ATA: U.S. AIR CARGO ROSE 3.7% IN 2002    The Air Transport Association, which represents the interests of airlines, said total freight volume for U.S. air carriers increased 3.7 percent in 2002.
   For December, cargo traffic was up 8.4 percent from December 2001. Transpacific volumes surged 13.3 percent, due partially to the diversion of ocean shipments to air because of congestion caused by the fall shutdown of U.S. West Coast ports. Transatlantic volumes rose 8.3 percent in December. Latin American freight and express were flat while domestic freight and express volume rose 7.1 percent.
   For all of 2002, ATA members — including FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service — logged 23.26 billion ton-miles, up from 22.43 billion in 2001, but below 2000’s total of 25.12 billion. A ton-mile means one ton of freight flown one mile.
   Total mail volume for 2002 declined 34.5 percent from 2001.