SWITCH TO AIR DRIVES SOARING U.S. AIRFREIGHT VOLUMES

SWITCH TO AIR DRIVES SOARING U.S. AIRFREIGHT VOLUMES    U.S. airfreight traffic volumes ran 20 percent above last year’s levels in September and October, as shippers diverted a portion of their cargoes from sea to air transport.
   The U.S. Air Transport Association reported that freight and express traffic carried by its member airlines was 2.2 billion freight ton-miles in October, an increase of 20.4 percent over October 2001. This followed a 20.5 percent jump in traffic for the month of September, to 1.8 billion freight ton-miles.
   After lagging below year-earlier levels in the first three months of 2001, total freight and express traffic for the first 10 months of the year increased by an average of 6.6 percent, to 18.2 billion freight ton-miles, the Air Transport Association reported.
   Air Transport Association members include Alaska, Aloha, America West, American, American Trans Air, Continental, Delta, Emery, Federal Express, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Midwest Express, Northwest, Southwest, United, UPS and U.S. Airways.