ACI REPORTS 8% CARGO DECLINE WORLDWIDE

ACI REPORTS 8% CARGO DECLINE WORLDWIDE    Preliminary 2001 results from more than 700 airports show cargo traffic down 8.4 percent to 61.6 million metric tons, according to a report from Airports Council International.
   The report, which covered cargo volume worldwide, showed North America suffering a 12-percent drop to 26.5 million metric tons, while the Europe saw a 6.1-percent decline to 12.7 million. Latin America/Caribbean saw volumes fall 5.8 percent to 2.3 million metric tons. The Asia/Pacific region was down 5 percent to 16.9 million metric tons. Africa was off 4.3 percent to 851,390 metric tons and the Middle East slipped 2.4 percent to 2.4 million metric tons.
   Memphis remained the world's leading cargo airport, with 2.6 million tons handled, up 6 percent. Half of the world's leading cargo airports reported double-digit losses, ACI said.